Shadow of Zero
by Xeno-Freak
Summary: Yet another different familiar for Louise fic.  FP POV, a former SI reincarnated into a stressful life.  Ignorant of the series, how will this would be scholar fare when he realizes he's not the only thing from his old home to crossover?
1. A New World, A New Beginning

A New World, A New Beginning

Shadow of Zero I

They say that people will do anything if sufficiently desperate.

Even jump into a strange green portal out in the middle of nowhere, as an example.

With a Drow war band only moments away from killing me for my oh so valuable blood, hide and organs, I could find reason in those words. Spontaneously formed magic gateways were not exactly common, but they weren't exactly unheard of ether in the lands of The Forgotten Realms.

Don't ask how I got there, much less how I became what I am now, it's a long story, a Very Long Freaking Story.

Oh yeah, let me introduce myself. I had a name once, dirt common, normal, HUMAN. But that's not my name anymore. When dealing with magic one doesn't give out one's name freely, and frankly it would just be… Weird… to call myself my original one when I had lived an entirely different life now for well over a good hundred years or so.

More so with the whole reincarnation deal.

So now I had a new title, one gifted to me fresh out of the shell, Levethix'moxt, or 'little wizard' roughly translated.

Friends, what few I have, call me Lev.

So yes, here I am diving deep into this weird, freaky, greenish, magical, portal type… thing, and viewing an effect I vaguely likened to a stargate from a lifelong past.

I guess this is how THIS story, if not my own, begins…

I arrived in smoke, not a very good sign, but not too bad one… Voices!

"Another F-" The voice was female, and I could see it belonging to a rather curious red headed female human with dark skin, and damned near Molten eyes, as the smoke cleared… well they would be molten provided they hadn't regressed to pinpricks. "e-e-e" she started stuttering once she got a clear look at me.

The others present were having similar reactions. All but one where young, they were wearing uniform robes and outfits, the only older one was wearing a variant. I noted I was in the courtyard of some castle, so my guess was some sort of wizard's academy.

That was good and bad, on one hand, me and wizards did not always get along, on the other, they weren't Drow.

"Elf." The smallish blue haired one whispered, staff held out at the ready.

Ok that one brought me up a little short. "Elf?" I asked aloud before I realized it. "Elf. Seriously. That's what has you worked up?" considering I was wearing a form not dissimilar to my earlier pursuers, you'd think generic elf would be the least of their worries, or the first thing they noticed.

Unless I was in another realm and the elves here were hostile to humans…

Couldn't rule it out. And given the Teacher's sudden defensive posture…

"Woh! Calm down… I'm not looking for a fight." I explained quickly. "Could… someone explain to me what's going on?" I looked behind me, portal closed… That was good.

To be honest I might take trying to fight off the war party rather than bust out of a magic school, but potently facing both was something even a Darastrix'sjach much older and stronger then I would hesitate at trying.

"This is the Tristan Academy of magic." The man up ahead said very slowly as if talking down an armed gunman… Swordsman… whatever. Man, what the hell was up with this place? Did the elves here take their cliff notes from The Brothers Grim?

A chill went down my spine at the thought of that. Maybe this place _Was_ more akin to the classical depiction of elves… after all the word Eldritch came from the root Elfish.

And if that was true… I was unjustly wearing the skin of one.

Only the thought of the panic that my _Real_ form might provoke stopped me from dropping the Drow shape I was using right then and there.

Right Lev, hold together… you are Darastrix! A King Serpent! One of the eldest and mightiest creatures of the realms!

Fuck that! I was barely an adult! Not a Jennu'ithael! I barely had any magic resistance as it was!

But they didn't know that…

Maintaining my guise of 'Freaking out confused drow dude.' I raised an eyebrow and started to visibly calm. "So… you summoned me here Why?" I asked

"Ah… you see it's a little ritual that the second year students perform to call a familiar." He winced slightly.

I blinked. "Wait. You called me as a familiar?" I saw no companion animal with the man, perhaps he had lost his and had called me as a replacement? He seemed competent enough, and a good performance would assist the new mages. As it was, being a familiar to an experienced compliant mage was far from a bad deal on my end. It offered more safety and easier access to resources while I was still relatively young and venerable.

"No…" he looked to a slight figure I had all but ignored up to now.

She stood at four feet and change, a faded, pink mop of hair that fell well past her waste, and skin so white you could mistake it for parchment… then again that could just be the fear.

Her eyes had also shrunken to pinpricks, and she was dressed like the other students despite being quite possibly the youngest one there… wait no, out in the crowd there was another young girl with a sky blue drake of some kind, she was the one who had pointed me out earlier, how had I missed that? So what did that make this kid? A prodigy?

Well again not to bad… though much more risky, a lavish lifestyle of a seasoned researcher/teacher was much less likely to get me stuck with a lance, in comparison. The opportunity was however still genuinely a step up from my current status of 'hide until old enough to kick the asses of anything else on planet'

"You then have called me?" I asked her, looking her in the eye. "Don't worry, I take no offense." I explained. "Just want to know what's going on here." I put on my best paternal smile.

Really should have considered the face I was using when I did that. Dark elf + wide smile = Evil. Forgot that.

Well at least I wasn't wearing MY face when I did that, poor girl would likely fall over.

"Y-yes." She said in a quite squeak.

"Right then, Introductions, my name is Levethix'moxt. You?" I stated in as warm a tone as I could manage, no sense in scaring her off… she didn't even know what I really was yet.

"l-Louise." She stated trying to master her trembles and not really succeeding.

"A pleasure!" I grinned. "Now you want me as a familiar right? Kinda odd choice, but I can see were your going with it." Ok ego was fed a little there, I mean not to toot my own horn, but I could certainly kick the ass out of any cat. "I think you can talk me into it." I stated, best not sell myself to cheep.

She fell over in a dead faint, and I blinked. "Was it something I said?" I asked the Teacher.

Shadow of Zero II

In the end I had assured the man 'A professor Colbert', the students, the OTHER teachers, and was on the way to do the same for the headmaster.

Louise was being carried by the balding man; apparently we had to stick close until she could complete whatever weird ritual had brought me here.

Which was… tolerable at least to me. Though honestly I was a little worried about bonding with a girl who fell over just from meeting an 'elf'. "So what's the deal with you guys and the elves around anyway?" I asked the prof as we walked up the spiraling staircase to meet up with the head of this shindig.

Don't look at me like that, my vocabulary is the product of my parent's generation, Both sets.

He shivered slightly. "Let's just say our people don't get along well. Why do you ask anyway? Are you not an elf?" He questioned with a suspicious eye.

"Kinda." I started, "Technically what I am is known as a Drow Elf, or dark elf. Not quite the same as the other subspecies." I explained, and technically it was true, I was currently a dark elf. "I'm just curious about the local culture, were I came from humans and elves mostly got along." I added in earnestly. "I mean there was some specism, and they tended to live primarily in their own settlements, the lifespan issue alone insured there was a bit of a cultural drift." I sighed at that, I got why we couldn't all get along, I really did, but that didn't mean I liked it.

He nodded a little slowly, but seemed to be coming around… this was good, with luck I could get a reputation of 'mostly harmless' well routed into the general mentality of locals in short order, hopefully even before people realized I wasn't exactly what I claimed to be!

Accepting a strange foreigner was one thing, but letting a King Serpent into one's midst was another entirety. You could get away with it in the larger settlements, but it'd be iffy in a small place like this.

Louise made a soft sound, and seemed to start coming out of it. "wah… what?" she blinked a few times.

"Rise and shine!" I chirped… and hoped she didn't faint again.

"You!" She stated shocked and surprised. "It wasn't a Dream!"

"Nope, summon, me, familiar ritual, fainting, all real." I added in cliff notes form. "We really got to talk about that by the way… what exactly where you looking for in a familiar? I'm not especially fond of the whole combat thing if you were hoping for a legendary warrior or something." I continued. "To be honest I'm really more of a bookworm, I've worked mostly in Libraries, and universities then anything." An offered shrug. "Really not much more than a traveling scholar."

And there was truth to that. I still had a more then modest amount of gold and trinkets within my handy haversack of course, but the real treasure lay in the secrets and knowledge I had gathered over my century long life.

It was in my nature to 'collect' things, and frankly I viewed my horde of secrets to be more useful than simple wealth. My personal collection expanded greatly on my genetic inheritance, gave me options simple gold could not, and was hopefully something I could one day pass down to the next generation, giving any progeny I sired a much better chance of surviving the death world I had so recently called home.

Mystical powers, supernatural strength, and impossibly strong hide were nice, but intelligence, wisdom, and experience had a good history of trumping them.

She coloured a bit, "Can you let me down?"

"Ah! Certainly." The balding man said at once. "I am sorry Ms Vallière." He replied setting her down.

She took stock of her surroundings and seemed to give into dread once more. "The Headmaster's office..?" She stated in despair, and then rounded on me. "What did you do!"

"Nothing! Nothing!" I said holding up hands warningly. "Just a routine check in… apparently elves aren't very well liked around here, and I didn't want to cause any big commotions." I explained.

She looked aggravated, but seemed to cede on the point.

"If that's alright, shale we enter?" Colbert commented, seeming more than a little amused, and… proud? of the young girl's antics.

The door opened, and one thought immediately shot to my head.

"What is the deal with your bangs?" I couldn't help but ask the elder stereotypical Dumbledore/Gandalf-esk senior mage.

Shadow of Zero III

"Familiar!" Louise outright shrieked.

"Technically, not your familiar yet." I pointed out… well pointedly. "And I mean seriously! Look at it, it just somehow… fuses into another layer of beard… How do you do that? Magic right? It has to be magic." I said nodding to myself

The man merely stroked his magnificent beard of weirdness. "I am actually rather surprised you asked, you se-"

"Stupid familiar!" A wand came out, and started aiming for me.

My hand clashed forth before I even really noticed with reflexes honed by living in The Freaking Forgotten Realms. Snatching the implement from her hands, in a practiced motion, I twirled it in my hand and pointed it back. "Right sorry." I waved off. "Just wanted to check in with you. This lovely young lady here." I gestured with the wand, wondering why this seemed both so familiar, and so hilarious to me. "Summoned me to be her familiar. I'm not here to wage horrific bloody war, kidnap your maidens, or any of that stuff." I said waving the whole thing off.

"I see… you are not upset then?" he queered, being very pensive.

"Nope." I handed back the wand to the young girl who had apparently just now realized what she had done, and gone that paper shade again, really it was kinda cute. "Way I see it this is actually a really good deal for me. I might not look it, but I'm still pretty young, the relatively lax job of being a mage's familiar, is really a great opportunity to duck the bigger responsibilities" And dangers "of the world, while I gain a chance to learn a bit more about magic and the world." I explained.

"Young?" This time from the balding man. "How young?"

"Older then the guy with the awesome Beard, but younger then the castle." I elaborated. This place had the timeless feel, smell, and marks, that only could be accumulated with well over hundreds years of use, magic reinforcement or no.

"Ah." The elder mage nodded. "So you are fine then being Ms Vallière's familiar then?" he asked.

"I have a few terms." I admitted, and noted the deflating form beside me. "Nothing big. It's simply that I am very obviously, not a simple animal, treating me as such would be rather improper wouldn't it?" I put my money on the hook of propriety being as big a thing here as it was in most 'upper crust' societies.

"Indeed." He again stroked the beard of awesome… seriously, how did he do that?

Louise seemed ready to object, but was quickly shut down on that, both teachers sending her rather heated glares.

"Right… so… I'm not obviously going to sleep in some stall meant to keep animals." I started the bargaining.

"That's not a problem, traditionally, a familiar sleeps in there master's room." Colbert chimed in.

I nodded, I could work with this. "Reasonable enough… Lab access?" I inquired.

"Lab access?" That one confused him.

"Lab access." I continued. "You know… arcane research? Inventing new spells, and investigating into the nature of magic and the universe?" I continued.

"Such things are more typically personal endeavors." The elder man began. "While we do, undertake some research here, the academy is meant primarily to educate."

I grimaced at that. "You at least have a well stocked library?" setting up a lab would be troublesome. I'd still do it, but it was work I had hoped to avoid.

"That we do have." The elder nodded and drew on his pipe.

"You're a researcher?" Colbert asked much more excitedly.

"More a… wandering scholar. I have invented a spell or two, but mostly I just like learning things." I explained, looking at Louise. "I have served as tutor in the mystic arts on a few occasions however!" I added quickly.

That seemed to pick her up a bit.

I moved to my final point. "Lastly… Money." I said, "I'm not going to ask for any sort of payment, room and board is certainly enough for simple duties, but I would rather like to keep claim to any funds I earn on my own here." This was a tricky subject, as now and then you got a mage who used their familiar as little more than a money farm. I needed funding for my research! "Such is agreeable with you?" I asked Louise directly.

She frowned at that, again not happy at all with how things were turning out. "It seems… reasonable." She let out with no small amount of bitterness.

I clasped hands and grinned. "Then we have an accord! Finish your ritual." I instructed.

At this she blushed a little, looking down, then leaned forward, taking her wand and circling it over my head, then pecked me.

I opened my mouth to question that, when a sharp burning sensation distracted me.

Searing into my hand, with sufficient heat or power to leave wisping trails of smoke, was a glowing green rune circle. I watched it openly, clenching my teeth as it burned its way into my skin, into the unseen flesh beneath it, deep **Deep** into my magic aura, and quite possibly into my very soul.

Powerful stuff. Freakishly powerful stuff in fact… what exactly had I just signed up for?

Showing her the rune I raised an eyebrow. "Thanks for the warning." I deadpanned.

She looked more vindicated then apologetic. "Sorry." She replied, fighting down a smile.

I twitched.

I was not amused by my 'bed'. The pile of hay was far from the worst thing I had slept on, but frankly ever since I had developed enough might to take humanoid form, I had found the 'luxury' of a warm bed to be one I most certainly would invest in. I sighed. "Alright, no. This will not do." I reached into my haversack and started digging around. ''Alchemy fire… no, trail rations, no, standard ten foot pole… why did I pack that again? Ah bedroll." I pulled lose the much larger item forth from my pack, ignoring the rather odd faces Louise was making as I spread out the finely spun cloth, fine drow silks with gold lacing, stuffed with celestial goose feathers, enchanted for temperature control and comfort.

Like I said, I invested.

A quick snapped summoning of my own, and a small group of fiendish monkeys (well apes technically) were under way arranging the hay pile was cleared into a more evenly aligned lining for the floor, as to provide a slightly more comfortable surface for said bedroll then the ground itself.

Observing there work I nodded. "Tawura'bensvelk droti!" I praised them, and then gave the nod for them to dismiss themselves, setting down the overly elaborate sleeping bag on my own.

It was at this point when Louise made a rather odd sound. Somewhat squeaking, and half way choked off.

Looking at her, the twitching face, slightly open mouth, and wide eyes, I couldn't help but ask. "What?"

Shadow of Zero IV

"You… magic… bag… monkey…" she started.

"Apes technically." I blinked at that trying to derive sense from it, "What?"

"HOW!" she begged.

"Well… you said it, Magic, a fourth circle summon monster spell, in its secondary use more specifically." I stated in a somewhat confused tone. "Frankly I know it'd have been more efficient to a third circle spell and call up some Formian, but I just never really got along with those guys. Monkeys work for fruit. You can't really beat a pay rate like that." Technically I didn't have to pay them at all, but it was always handy to keep on the good side of anything you regularly summoned, made them much less bitter about the whole spontaneously shifting plains for various trivial tasks thing. I raised an eyebrow. "I don't see what's got you so concerned, you called up ME only a few hours ago, trust me when I tell you that's far more impressive then summoning a few outsiders for a limited period of time."

That seemed to calm her. "I've never seen magic like that." She admitted.

That earned a raised eyebrow. "Haven't you? Interesting." I mused. "Summoning is a basic form of conjuration magic where I'm from. Perhaps we use more different casting styles then I originally suspected." I sat down on my new resting place and made myself comfortable. "Alright, let's compare the basics. Were I come magic comes in two main disciplines, arcane and divine, you seem to be an arcaneist… at least your magic tastes arcane. Arcane magic is mortal magic, it is magic formed of mana and shaped by mortal thoughts and comprehension." I started my lecture, and she nodded in understanding at my words. Good, so far we mostly are akin in this. "The limits of the use of this type of magic are therefore based similarly on one's knowledge, whether it is through study or intuition. Power varies with innate talent and experience, but in general, you can't cast a spell unless you've worked rather hard to learn it in the first place."

She gave me an odd look at that. "And there are people who CAN cast spells they do not know?" she asked.

"In away." I cut off. "Diviners which I mentioned earlier do not prepare their own spells, they do not truly form them, though they do cast them. Instead they offer power through worship to much stronger, higher… or lower… beings known as gods." I continued.

"There is only one god!" She yelled in surprised and indignation.

"Really?" I asked again, blinking. "Weird, well it's not unheard of. Most deities tend to stick to a limited number of realms, I suppose this world is sufficiently far out that one got lucky to hold monopoly over it." I waved away. "We need to talk about the god of this land after this however, I personally would rather know about the local powers of any location I plan on staying in for any extended period of time."

Going back to my earlier point I continued. "Were was I? Oh yes, divine magic. Well the mortal races offer prayer to their patron deities, and in return are gifted power in the form of spells. Now that's a gross over simplification, as there tend to be small tributes fringe benefits and other aspects to it, such as which afterlife you end up when you do end up slipping from the material plane, but that's mostly how the spell casting aspect works. We term most of these casters clerics, sometimes paladins, or others of a more exoteric sort." I elaborated. "It's an interesting relationship, symbiotic in its nature, and I've spent a decade or two learning its intricacies, though I do not practice it myself. But I've slipped topic, what we need to really deal with is Arcane magic, the type I, and I believe you use."

She nodded slowly, obviously still mulling over the revelation of other lands that held pagan faiths that apparently actually got results. "Now Arcane magic, has certain limitations on what it can do, you need to KNOW what it is you are doing, from the outside yes it all seems simple 'magic' but the delicate intricacies, the fine details, are far more complex. This has lead to there being only two real ways to become adept at the use of it." Again a simplification, but accurate enough. "The first is through rigorous study, years if not decades of pouring over alchemical formula, deep meditation, and continuous philosophical ponderings leading to a greater understanding of the world and it's energy. This continues up until you gain true mastery of it, becoming able to tap into the primal power of the world, and shape it to your desires vea shear will!" I clenched my hands sharply before me, popping my knuckles as I did, metaphorically 'grasping' at the unseen arcane powers.

The small girl's eyes were wide at that, and I reminded myself to tone back on the presence… I forgot even outside of my true form I tended to throw my personality around whenever I got a little passionate about things. Useful surely, but also too much at times.

She took a breath "a-and the other method?"

I shrugged. "You just get it." I stated simply.

"Just get it?" she gave me an odd look.

"Just get it." I said again. "Or rather, you instinctively understand these concepts. You don't draw your power from the world, you draw it from YOU." I pointed. "Yes there is arcane study, but that is so much more for refining your power then building it. You just Get magic, it's birthright to you. Instinctively you take and use the power you need, in ways normal mortals cannot. Such power tends to run in family lines, and there is rarely any real formal instruction involved. Given time anyone with such ability will come up with a few spells, and independent study is more than enough to expand on it. An analogy I've heard was that if a Wizard was a mathematician, then a Sorcerer was a poet." I let her connect the dots there.

Something connected in her brain. "Then these wizards, the ones who study for their powers, they are commoners?" she asked of me.

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Not often… they rarely take a lordship of any kind, but typically even a hedge wizard has notable political clout. It's not wise to anger someone who can turn you into a newt." I explained.

"But these sorcerers Are nobles are they not?" she asked in a rather needy way.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well… that depends on the culture really. I've seen magiocracies here and there, they sometimes work, but typically no better or worse than any other monarchy." I raised an eyebrow. "Why is that the set up here?"

"Of course! How could any other way work?" she demanded. "Nobles have power commoners do not! They are inherently superior!"

"Like elves?" I started a less then pleased look on my face. "Look… Like I said sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've seen Monarchies, Matriarchies, democracies, dictatorships, and a dozen other ways to pick a leader. Honestly I don't really care anymore what system is used in where I stay outside of knowing who to not piss off, and occasionally helping to depose a rotten ruler or two. Some work, some don't. If the 'Nobles' of this land are good rulers, then they earn their name. If they don't live up to the term, then I'm living in a land of bullies and hypocrites, and frankly it wouldn't be the first time." I laid back. "Look I don't really feel like talking any more. We can trade notes tomorrow." I fished out an equally overly fine pillow to my bedroll and slid in to tuck in for the night.

"But." She said.

"Night." I stated a bit more coldly then I originally intended.

Shadow of Zero V

The morning came, and with it the scent of fresh wet grass and stone, the feel of moist air, still heavy enough to form dewdrops, and the sound of songbirds.

I freaking hated mornings.

Blame it on my old night owl habits as a human, or my nocturnal nature as a Darastrix'sjach. Me and bright lights did not get along well. Yes I could tolerate them, which really should tip off anyone that I wasn't in fact a Drow, but I was surrounded by the ignorant, and as such had the blessing/curse of anyone knowing that I should be cowering from the light like a scolded Nuwa'jimos from its elder peers.

So I stretched out, letting out a rumbling growl of a sound, and checked over both the area around me, and myself… the form had held, that was good, I could feel the magic beginning to wane, so I sent a burst to reinforce it. Drow I had arrived, and Drow I would stay… well at least until ether it was needed, or I had a good excuse to spontaneously shift in species.

Maybe I could pass it off as some odd elf magic… eh, best first find out the local lore on the pointy eared ones before I showed too much more. I got lucky with the summoning earlier, but if I indented to keep myself hidden, I best not act too far out of bounds…

Why was I hiding again? Serpent King remember? The true highborn, the monsters that devils feared to cross?

No! Bad ego! Still young! still venerable! Just blend in like a good youngling and maybe I'll live to see my second millennium.

But they all seemed so weak…

NO! BAD! Appearances could deceive, and there magic was strange to me, learn, observe, then act.

Grunting I sat up strait and brushed myself off… maybe a change of clothes?" I sniffed my shirt.

Still good.

Looking over at Louise, I noted she was still resting. So I made my exit quite. Calling to the deep shadows cast by the morning light, I slipped out of visual sight, and made my way to the door.

It was time to do a little scouting.

Moving through shadows was… odd, it's hard to describe really. You needed to watch were you put your feet.

They clung to you, making you like them, transparent, but not unseen, a void in light, devourer of light, you could stray from there embrace, but you would be noticed as you did. Night would seem the ideal time to move about, the darkness deeper, and invading.

But that didn't take people into account.

Torches cast light, spells cast light, little glowing crystals, little heated bits of steel, light, light, light. The darker the night, the more those hindered by the lack of light sot to correct it's absence.

Torches were a relatively minor hazard if mounted; they still cast shadows, if held however they prevented you from closing to a certain range. Lanterns tended to be directed, but one false sound and it would swing with such speed even the most graceful would have problems dodging its beam. All could be compensated for, with effort, time, and skill.

But no one lit light in the morning, people treaded through the deep but pale shadows fearlessly and casually. There was more than enough light to see through the transparent things after all, nothing hidden in them but the darkness itself.

Only the shadows themselves.

More importantly, people were active in the morning, groggy yes, but that was more an aid then hindrance. They were sloppy.

And sloppy people tended to be loose of lips.

I moved down the hallways easily, the overly dramatic light gothic architecture offering me a wide road to travel. Wizards, got to love them.

No, not wizards, mages. I didn't yet know the kin of these spell weavers, but I knew them to be more akin to a sorcerer then that studious sort, Louise's reactions last night had told me that much. I held so many questions as to the nature of this land, and the strange Magus' who held lord over it.

Dear gods was I Shakespearian when I was hungry.

Ah well, two birds, one stone. If you wanted to know something about a ship or fort, there was always one reliable source.

The cook.

As the freaky colored bird said, fallow your nose!

I hit a wrong turn once or twice, but soon enough I found myself traveling through to a large wide open hallway, that held numerous fine wooden tables. From there I located a servant and began stocking them.

Not in the creepy perverted sense mind you, more the hunter pray sense… actually that sounded worse, let's stick to perverted.

Openly admiring the well shaped form of the black haired lass I fallowed her unseen into what could only be a kitchen. There were mean and women dressed in plain clothes and aprons working over stoves, fires and cutting boards. It seemed a feast was in preparation.

I licked my lips, and it had nothing to do with said lovely lass having just bent over to pick up some dropped bit of cutlery.

"Did you hear?" One of the younger men, who I immediately labeled 'Gofer one'. He wore no apron, and had the manic energy only a clumsy foolish male could hold in their youth. To anxious to be trusted with fine food preparation, but ideal for gathering gossip or more simple tasks. Didn't seem a bad sort, perhaps too eager to prove himself going by his tone and posture. "I hear one of the nobles summoned an Elf!" he exclaimed, the apparently, very important news.

"An elf? Been listening to rumors again have we?" the much boarder man, who at once struck me as 'head cook.' He held himself with strong posture, and was well aged, and well fed. For a servant to have grown as large as he has, they would have had to have ether lived a very successful life, and to hold themselves with such pride, especially when they lived as 'a lower class' they would truly have to be the master of their art.

Besides he smelt of more types of food than any other two cooks down here put together. My guess was he was dancing around coordinating things, too busy to settle on any single meal.

One of the female cooks, well looked after by her looks, but starting to see the later years of her life, she smelt of the large man, his wife? "It's True. I heard old man Osmand talking to that nice professor Colbert about it last evening. Creature's supposedly very polite for highborn, but very strange. They thought it was from far off."

"His skin's black as coal." The boy said, bolstered by his apparent 'victory' "Hair white like chalk, and red eyes. But he's got the pointed ears and everything!"

The old man rolled his eyes. "Well if it is an elf. And I'm not saying it is. What are you wasting your time talking about it for? We only have two hours to prepare for the Noble's big day with their new pet's and you'll catch the switch if any of those spoiled brats finds there meal wanting." He warned. "If your so obsessed with this elf, then find out what it wants for breakfast."

"A simple sandwich will do." I said stepping out of the darkness, and beading away its hold. "Maybe some fruits. It's been a good time since I've tasted any." I requested with a smile. "Anyone need a hand?" I offered.

It was always wise to be nice to the help after all.

Shadow of Zero VI

Everything at once stopped, if not for the crackling of flames, and the sizzling of meats and oils in there pans, it would be silent. I blinked. "Uh… is there a problem?" I asked looking a little at a loss.

The big guy stepped up first and foremost snapping out of it. "Of course not sir!" he said graciously. "It's just we did not expect your fine company." He stated.

I sighed. "Please, none of that Sir stuff. I mean really when you think about it we are all in the same boat are we not?" I tracked as one of the younger ones, the young woman in the maid outfit I had fallowed actually, rushed around to retrieve me a few bits of sliced fruit. "I was just wondering if I could lend a hand. It seems we may well be working together for some time after all." I tried to explain… this did not seem to be going well.

"Ah, well sir… Mr. Elf sir." He began.

"Lev. Call me Lev." I stated sighing. "It's short for Levethix'moxt if you really want to go formal, but honesty that's a bit of a mouthful. If you don't want me dancing around in your kitchen that's fine, but really, I'm just here to offer my own assistance if it's welcome. I am not sure what the elves of this land have done to terrify you people so, but really I am from a very distant land! I have no idea of the quarrel behind all this, and honestly wish no part with it." I frowned. "Or is it the bond of servitude I am held by to the Lady Vallière?" I guessed.

Slowly people started to move back into normal actions for the preparation of food, and I found myself offered a tray of assorted fruits by the lovely, if terrified young woman with hair as dark as my skin. Taking the tray I smiled at her in an apologetic way. The large man eyed me cautiously. "We need someone to help wash the trays before they head out." He stated slowly, keeping a firm eye on me.

"That's fine. I have some time before my master wakes." I gave the pile a glance, nothing to caked on really. "More than enough time to finish off a simple task like that."

He gave a slow nod. "Siesta, you help Mr. Moxt here with it. Make sure he doesn't miss anything." A calculated move on his part, see if I was honest or just looking for an opportunity to blow up over any little offense. The task itself was also a wise one to test me on, no direct handling of any food, preventing me from potentially poisoning anyone easily.

I rolled my eyes at it, playing up the roll of foolish youngster. Damn this form was going to be hard to work through… still easier then my natural state.

For a moment the image of me in the form of a Serpent King doing dishes flashed by, and I almost laughed. It had happened when I was younger once or twice, still not powerful or experienced enough to take human form, but that was when I was still small enough for it to be more cute then ridiculous.

I took the tray and began working water and soap over it, pushing hard to get the thin layer of caked on grime out of it. Someone had chicken last night it would seem. It wasn't helped that the water was cold. "Do you mind if I heat the water?" I asked 'Siesta' beside me. "Just a small cantrip. I know you can't afford to waste the warm water on something like this." Indeed every free stove was working on cooking, frying, or boiling some dish or another.

That got me a dark look, hidden behind acceptance. "If you wish." She stated.

I frowned slightly at that, and then smirked slightly, I had an idea. "Here, watch closely." I worked my hands in arcane sigils and uttered a single word, my voice taking on a slight bit of reverb as I did. "**Prestidigitation**"

The water jumped from lukewarm to lightly steaming in a moment, not hot enough to scald, but more than enough to melt off any grime on the trays. I cleaned the first tray in moments.

She worked her own with a bit of bitterness, I had seen a flash of surprise, and wonder when I had preformed the cantrip, but it had faded quickly.

Now to exploit that. "I could teach you that you know." I offered her casually.

She looked up, then back down. "No… Humans aren't like elves, we are not all nobles. I can't use magic."

"You can't use Innate magic." I corrected. "This is just a little bit of wizardry. No innate talent needed." I explained.

"No no… it's not talent, I just don't have any magic." She tried to explain.

I wasn't about to hear it. "Were I come nether do most elves." Partially true, they had their innate power, but that was a passive thing, not active magic. "It was something that confused me last night when I spoke with my new master. It seems that the local powers hear only use innate magic, sorcerery, not learned magic, wizardry." I explained. "We have innate casters in my home land as well, I count myself among they're number, but to really understand it, I studied with wizards for a time." I stated clearing another tray. "So many are just content to use what comes naturally, to never really try and understand it you know? It seems so foolish to me. I've seen men and woman born with no more power than a housecat, who could bring down even king serpents with a few well placed words, tapping into the might of the world itself, rather than their own mortal reserves." I recalled images of battles past, brothers lost, blood spilt. "I've always tried to… be aware. To know what was happening in the world around me, how it worked, how things interacted with one another." Another tray.

I turned to look at her, and noted I had her full attention now… and that of most of the kitchen staff. "I could teach you some of it if you liked… the big stuff takes years of course, but one or two cantrips are simple enough that it wouldn't take more than a couple hours for two or three weeks." It was after all the Darastrixi who had gifted the mortal races with the knowledge of magic in my own realm… was it not my duty to do the same here? To at least… put them on their way, give them a chance to realize their potential. I turned back to the trays, washing another. "Well it's something to consider anyways." I stated with the same casual air.

I was finished my job in less than thirty minutes, and was drying my hands, now well wrinkled, on a cloth. "Well the Sun is well up by now… I supposed I best return before my master seeks what has become of me." I stated. "It was a pleasure meeting you Siesta." I stated with as warm a smile as I could manage.

She blushed a little, and my grin grew. Still got it.

"About those… Cantrips you called them?" She asked.

"Yes?" I asked looking out at the door.

She fidgeted a little. "Could you… really teach me them?"

"One or two." I offered. "Simple spells, nothing major, cantrips are meant to be easy, they help build the way to the big stuff, but I know a few minor tricks that could likely be of use to you." I explained for the second time of the day.

"But you could teach me them." She repeated.

I smirked. "Given time, I could teach them to a housecat… actually I think I did that once. It was a bet I think." I thought back to my earlier days at an academy not unlike this one, frankly with all the studying, misadventures, I was surprised I recalled anything from my social life.

She took a deep breath and bowed. "Then please teach me magic!"

I blinked externally, showing no feeling but surprise. "Sure… I'll find out when a good time is with my master, and let you know when I can."

Internally I let lose a full maniacal smirk.

Just as planned.

Shadow of Zero VII

I slipped back into my master's room only a few moments after she had awoken.

Louise was looking around in confusion, and then her eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. "Stupid familiar!" she muttered heatedly.

I chose that time to step forth. "You called Master?" I tried to keep the cheeky smile of my face… I really, really did.

She was up like a shot. "Where did you come from!" her hands jerked up in surprise and her eyes traced my form, then my surroundings, there was no where I could have hidden.

Hum, now there was a problem, if I gave her more clues she'd discover my affinity for darkness, being a diurnal species, odds are the social norms dictated 'darkness bad'.

Fear leads to anger and all that…

"More importantly, were did go?" she demanded eyes hard and angry.

Quick to anger my master was, I'd have to work on curing her of that. Spell casters with short tempers tended to result in a lot of bodies on the ground… or ash, or newts, or cheese.

I shivered on the memory of the cheese. That was one _Messed Up_ Gnome.

"I was out helping in the Kitchen Master." I informed. "I needed to be sure your meals were being prepared to a proper standard." Ah aristocrats, was there any type of person easier to manipulate?

She frowned deeply at that. "You should check with me first before doing any such thing. The actions of the familiar reflect on those of its master." She lectured.

I wondered for a moment how teaching the local servant's magic would reflect on her image. Oh well, I had already decided on that path, no turning back now. "I see… would it be possible for me to assist the help regularly in the afternoons then? Just a few hours when you held no need of me." I requested.

"We will see." She intoned in what was likely her best regal voice… oh this would be fun. It had been a while since my last fosterling. The human mage I had last raised/tutored in magic had already nearly been a grown man. A Sorcerer in search of the secrets of both his heritage and the nature of his power.

It had started rough, for the opposite reason actually, the boy was far too humble, but over time I had managed to mold him into something of worth.

I was a bit curious as to where he was now, Little Jono would be starting into old age soon if he hadn't taken measures to extend his life.

I chuckled a tired tone. "My thanks."

She narrowed her eyes again. "You think I'll let you get away with everything?" she stated warningly. My guess was she didn't like the tone I had used.

"No no, of course not." I held out my hands though admittedly I wasn't doing the 'humble' bit well. Well actually I was, but I wasn't being very humble for a mortal.

Her hands twitched.

I rolled my eyes, right, time to deflate some egos. "Really master, it is rather early for this. Shale we at least go seek breakfast before we hammer down the fine details of my employment?"

She was about to make argument before a well timed reaction sounded from her stomach. She flushed deep at that. "Very well."

Ah blindsense, is there any problem you didn't solve?

The two of us walked down and reentered the dining hall, me a respectful distance from Louise. She held a new confidence in her steps as we traveled I noted. Perhaps the minor victories I was allowing her were helping to boost her ego?

Possible, I'd vary my behavior some and see how she reacted.

Interestingly we did not seem to be heading to the dining hall I had earlier discovered, rather we left for the outside, were a large assortment of tables had been set out for us.

Selecting one from the outer edge, I took my own seat as she did the same.

A familiar face was shortly serving us. I smiled widely. "Ah Siesta! It is good to see you." I greeted with what warm I could managed.

The reaction in both master and servant was prominent.

Siesta blushed slightly and bowed her head. "It is nice to see you too Mr. Moxt." She stated. "What would you two enjoy for breakfast?"

My Master's reaction was one of barely contained anger. "You know this servant Familiar?"

"Quite." I said with a nod. "Siesta was the one who helped me sort myself down at the kitchens. She will with your blessings, be educating me on much of how things are done in this land later this evening." I explained. "We did agree that I was to be aloud personal projects I remind you."

That lessened her anger notably, and she now eyed me again appraisingly. "Very well." Not sparing a glance to the black haired maid, she spoke out her order. "Crapes, with cream, and a fine dark tea." She stated.

"Fruit is fine." I told her politely. "Perhaps a cold cut sandwich if you can."

She nodded and hurried off, and Louise frowned. "You shouldn't speak to the help like that." She stated.

I raised an eyebrow. "Odd, in most cultures I find it wise to be as kind as possible with one's servant. It helps cut down on the accidental poisonings." I elaborated trying to force down my cheeky grin.

Dark tea in the morning? Really? I near shook my head at that.

"Regardless she will soon be an instructor of mine, and an Instructor should always be greeted with the highest respect." I stated firmly. "That will apply when I begin teaching you by the way. I will not tolerate you only half listening to my words." My eyes flashed. "The magic I will be teaching you is Dangerous, if used without care people _will_ die." There was no could about it. Even with the devil's own luck, eventfully a fireball could go rouge, a spell would backfire, or a summon would shake loose of it's bindings.

She snapped to attention at that. "Teach me magic?" she asked, then her eyes widened. "Eleven magic!" she leaned in surprised.

I broke her of that swiftly. "I'm not sure what the elves of this land use." I stated firmly. "It is likely as alien to their schools of magery as it is your own, but it is a widely used, well developed, ancient branch of sorcerery, refined well over a million years in use."

She gulped back. "A million years…"

"My people." I began. "Taught this form of magic to the mortals we share lands with. At first it was a simple thing, to make a servant more useful." Not unlike what I was doing with Seista now that I thought about it, and speak of the devil, she had snuck back up on us and was now listening closely. "But it had evolved rapidly. Most couldn't learn the more refined arts, the more powerful and complex spells." I stated begrudgedly. "There simply wasn't time in their lives to discern all the details. But they took well to it, and many found themselves magi of the ninth circle or even beyond it in as little time as a decade!" I stated in emulated surprise. "Imagine it, the highest levels of magic, wielded by a mortal with less than ten years practice. Something that even the mightiest King Serpent would take millennia to learn!" admittedly those were the outliners, the literal one in a thousand of even the practicing mortals. Added in most darastrixi were rather lazy about acquiring power, being much higher up on the food chain.

Fighting down that ego continuously with the knowledge of exactly how poorly I sacked up to a lot of other things in that deathworld that was formerly my home was actually one of the key reasons I was as good a mage as I was. Honestly, a magus of the fifth circle at only a hundred and thirty? It was astounding by the standards of my kin.

Both girls were rather surprised at that. "Really?" Louise leaned in. "You could teach me this?"

"Well most of it… at least get you on the path." I explained quickly.

Siesta however was curious about another thing. "What's a King Serpent?" she asked.

I blinked, had I actually said that? Reviewing I noticed I did. Ah… cat out of the bag or no? Eh, maybe a few hints.

"A King Serpent, or rather a Serpent King, is the original spell caster of my land. The absolute apex predator, with only the mightiest of Infernal, and gods to hold challenge to their power." I began. "The Ancient ones, The Beasts that Devils feared to cross. Darastrixi'vis, The True Dragons." I intoned deeply, letting lose a bit of my aura of terror.

So I was a bit of a ham, it came with the territory.

Shadow of Zero VIII

"Dragons." Louise deadpanned, I got the feeling she'd normally "Your best spell casters are big dumb lizards?"

"Big yes, dumb, very much no, Lizards… that's actually a common matter of debate. They hold a lot of traits similar to most reptiles, but at the same time there are several key differences." I started in.

"What do you mean dragons aren't dumb? They're animals, just foolish beasts like any other creature."

I raised an eyebrow. "Common Animals… are you sure you're not referring some manner of drake? Or perhaps Wyvern?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"They are all dragons." She ground out.

I blinked. "Ah… it seems this land lacks there highborn kin… fortunate for you." I added. "Alright imagine a dragon, an immortal beast, winged, graceful, and larger than anything with functional wings has any right to be." I smirked slightly at that. I held out a hand and called out power, bringing it forth to a well practiced highly useful spell. "**Silent Image.**" modes of light gathered and formed into a illusionary form of a true dragon, I went with a Silver, nice proud regal, and not to dissimilar from my own form. "They come in many shapes and sizes," I started cycling through various species and age groups, providing small copy of Headmaster Osmand, for scale, then started having them interact in a manner realistic to each breed.

It was somewhat amusing to watch the old man run for his life from the fiery breath of the Red Wyrm, one moment, to holding a conversation with a much younger Brass a few seconds later. "Now image them intelligent, at least as smart as any man quite often a great deal smarter. Add to this that they are born with the memories of their ancestors, not in the foreground of their mind, but more a background thing, like having a library built into your head. Give them lifespans that reach beyond ages, countless millennia, to build and hone on that sharp intellect." The Brass became a gold and Osmand was now the one being taught.

"Give them magic, mighty magic, that even in utter sloth grows with every passing year." A blue interrupted the lesson and the two began to fight, ripping into one another with claw, fang, breath and spell. My eyes darkened, and both girls remained rooted to the spot, watching the silent play before them as I continued my narration. "Give them scales stronger then steel, harder and thicker as they age, their muscles stronger, there forms larger and more powerful, never losing the grace of their youth." Both dragons began to grow in size and power, the gold called a storm, the blue a variable army of immaterial undead. The gold crashed through their number unhindered, its white hot flames backed by a spell ripping through their ranks as effortlessly as a normal flame consumed loose paper.

"And make that magic of theirs hate any lesser to it, turning aside all but the strongest of spells, let their breath rip open glowing tracks of land like the hateful wrath of a scorned god!" I rumbled maliciously, as the sky born duel switch to take place over a large city side, the people underneath running screaming silently in panic as the two titans raged, spells, and arrows, all were thrown up uselessly to splash against their unyielding hides. A line of lighting missed the gold and ripped open a street, blasting common house and sturdy guard tower to molten ruble alike. Men went flying, some lucky enough to be only caught by the heated shrapnel, crippled or broken like toys. The less fortunate had been touched by the energy itself, and were cooked alive within their own skins, flesh rupturing and igniting under the colossal heat of the electricity burning through them, leaving remains that were more ash then bone.

The gold managed a key strike, pinning the blue and tarring into it, bringing the full bare of its superior weight and strength down on the smaller dragon. The blue resisted, striking with claws, lashing out with horn and fang, every breath spat a literal curse, as it could call no more lighting, the ground shook before their movements, carts and buildings crushed or knocked flying. Shattered before the fury of their blows.

"And make them patent."The gold finished it, and Osmand slowly approached cautiously. "Make them with the wisdom and experience of their countless years, adaptable, proud, but never forgetting those who helped or harmed them." The gold smiled at the old man, as he had been one of the many to strike at the blue who had attacked them, his efforts had been largely fruitless, but they had been there. It pulled forth gold from the sky and tomes of knowledge, showering them upon its loyal friend… and then it turned its gaze on the town. The ones who had struck out at it indiscriminately, and its anger flared, even as an illusion the dragonfear formed, the primal terror from within, and it began approaching, a slow ponderous pace, it held no fear of the combined forces before it. It _**knew**_ that no matter their combined forces, no matter their spells, there arrows, there lance or their swords, they held no true weapon that could stop it. Men in the town held themselves, shivering in fear. Many began to break down as the creature approached, wills broken, they fell in balls weeping in mortal terror, or fleeing for their lives.

"That… is what a true dragon is, that is why they are known as Serpent kings. For that is what they are… Serpent, Kings. Lords of the sky and earth. The creatures that Devils fear to cross. Darastrixi'vis." I spoke the words again in the same dread tone. "If this land is far from there reach, then you lead blessed lives Master. Blessed… or cursed." I began. "Because the dragon is so mighty for a reason…"

The city buckled and collapsed in on itself, falling way not so much down, as In, and… things, began to crawl forth, beasts both human like and not. Dread princes, and fiends, warring on each other as the demons and devils clashed in an orgy of violence lesser, yet so much worse than that seen before.

The Dragon roared without sound and crashed into their ranks, ripping through infernal and abyssal alike.

The illusion disappeared and I brightened at once. "This really is good tea!" I chimed taking a sip, black tea for breakfast, I never would have imagined it.

At their silence I looked back at them, and noted them both frozen in place… ah yeah, dragonfear, really needed to tone down on that. "Uh… was it something I said?" I asked.

I heard a thump behind me, and noticed that the vast majority of the people out at the gathering had closed in to see the light show, and caught the full unrestrained burst my aura of terror.

On some unseen signal the rest started falling over including both my master and apprentice.

"Oh dear." I muttered… I really had to stop doing that.

Shadow of Zero IX

Looking over the group of passed out individuals I noted two big exceptions.

The first was the other small girl, the one with blue hair; the second was her equally sky blue drake, who was admittedly openly cowering behind her. I looked at her and breathed in deep.

Dragon.

That blue creature behind her… it wasn't a drake. At first I thought it some exotic breed of lesser dragon, but no, it was highborn, a little further distant in relation then most, but I wasn't exactly one of the better known breeds myself. Rising, I made sure my master was comfortable, sat Siesta down in my chair so she could rest more easily, and made a token survey of the other felled students, then made my approach.

A staff was shoved in my face. "Peace." I held up a hand. "I was just curious." I said.

"Why?" She intoned in a quite serious voice.

"Her." I pointed at the blue figure behind her.

"No." She stated, and then pointed at the felled gathering behind me. "Why?"

I blinked, and then blushed sheepishly. "Ah… that was an accident. Sometimes I can get a little over dramatic in my rants…" I trailed off. "It wasn't intentional, and in the end rather harmless. It might hammer down the point to not underestimate a creature simply because it is not human…" Her eyes were unyielding.

She eyed me. "Fake." She intoned.

I suspected she might see through my disguise, no good giving anything away however! "That little illusionary display? Not anything that actually happened of course, though a rather realistic scenario if I do say mysel-"

"You Are fake." She intoned.

Ah… so she had seen through me. "Yes." I replied, leaving out. "I am a fake… or rather I'm wearing a form not my own."

"Why?" she demanded.

I shrugged, "Elves are common were I came from, when I was summoned I was in an elfin settlement. I had no idea that the dragons of this land hid themselves." I looked pointedly at the blue form behind her.

The staff shot forward, and finally I saw emotion in her eyes, fear. It was only there for a moment, just a heartbeat, but it was there, and it was strong. "Secret." She informed me strongly.

I nodded slowly. "I have no intent of revealing or endangering ether of you." I stated empathetically. "I was just… curious. It has been years since I've seen kin. I am a stranger to this land, I was hoping we could share information." The dragon behind her was only a little smaller then I was as my true self, but I got the feeling she was much younger. Her eyes held a Naivety that only the young could bare. She had lived an easy life I could tell, the kind I had dreamed off in years past. Were there others here? Had they found a better path? Or did they hide themselves for another reason?

She pointed at me again. "Secret." She stated, as the blue dragon lowered her head beside the mage girl's, looking at me now with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

I must have looked pathetic really, but I was lonely. I was ripped from my home, I had only just started laying roots, and I had just found out that I was supposedly the only one of my kind here. Then this… it was a wound I didn't know I bore.

But I could survive it. "Secret." I replied hardening my heart. "Perhaps another time." I said with a polite bow. "Until then I best tend to my master. I wish you each a good day ladies."I bowed to one, then the other, and about faced.

Walking over I gathered up my tiny master, not even as tall as the short height my current state held, then Siesta, the girlchild who I had hope to educate in the mystic arts of wizardry, and brought them back to the castle.

I didn't look back, I wouldn't look back. I had already plans in motion, already things to do, and I held the time of eternity before me. I could wait, I would wait.

But I most definitely held a new objective to work towards.

Siesta was dropped off with the other servants; they had taken her with more than a few distrustful looks. I left the burden of detailed explanation for her. I doubt they would trust my words as things stood. I alerted a patrolling staff member, a young woman with long green hair that the students outside had fallen faint, and wore a face of suitably contained panic as I did. She saw through the outer layer of expression, but not through my true guise, and rushed off to their aid with no other words.

I brought Louise herself to her room, laying her on her fine bed before I routed myself down to wait for the inevitable backlash.

Harmless was no longer an option, not with such images of mythic creatures and epic battles in my head. The people of this school would forever associate me with the mysteries of that simple illusion, of the dread feeling as my aura took hold of them, though they would likely not realize I was its direct source. I needed a new mask to wear among these people, a new guise to blend into the surroundings.

The eccentric arcaneist? No, that was more likely to put fear into them then any, the still held me as an elf, and with my strange magic's and the reputation of elves in this land that would make me feared.

Play with the fear then? Work with it? Battle hardened survivor of a war torn land?

Ironically close to the truth, but still not suitable. People would both react with overdue caution, and would likely attempt to draw my strength against their enemies…

Strength, wasn't that a joke. Yes I was dragon, darastrix'vis, but I was barely into my adult years, the biological equivalent of a human in there later teens. More than that, I was one who focused mostly on the arcane aspect of things, of learning lore rather than gathering treasure or building and raiding large grand hordes. I was the dragon equivalent of a computer nerd. Yes I held considerable mystical power for my age, but my experience in combat was almost entirely on the defensive, fleeing from those who would seek my body parts for spell reagents, or simply to fearful to allow a king serpent in their lands.

No I was NOT playing the warrior if I had any option in it. I tried that road once and… no.

Enigmatic then? Just keep to the edge, toss out hints, and in general do my best imitation of what a wise immortal fairy creature should act like.

It held possibility, it explained the terrible images I could bring forth, after all, I was a timeless thing was I not? Of course I had seen horrible battles. The demons and devils were outsiders, but was that not what I myself was? An otherworldly being, not quite mortal, not quite right, why should I have not seen similarly otherworldly terrors along my long travels?

It was a bitter option, forcing a distance I had hoped to avoid with the locals, I would be an outsider… but I would be something safe. Something definable, something they could understand… or understand they couldn't understand anyway.

Ah well… it wouldn't be the first time I played that road. It was bitter, but it offered the right mix of fear and curiosity for me to interact how I needed to.

Blasted draconic fixation. Blasted hair trigger aura of terror, blasted perfectly rational fear at creatures who could eat you for breakfast!

Louise made a sound. Up already? That was fast… well best get to work. I had a new reputation to work on after all, and the quickest way to do that would be to start training up my new apprentices… I knew Louise's type. Now that she had seen strength like that, she would stop at nothing to have it for herself.

And I was the only way she could get it.

Shadow of Zero X

"Wah… again?" She blinked a few times.

"Yes again… we really must work on strengthening your constitution master." I chided, shaking my head in faux disappointment. "A small illusion like that and you just pass out? For shame." In truth I was actually quite impressed, even the boldest of knights were often shaken by dragon fear, and my aura of terror was particularly potent for my age, honed well from my continuous practice in the arcane arts. Hum, maybe if I continued to expose her at regular intervals' I could build up her resistance… it would be handy if we ever got in a scrape and I had to go all out.

She was flustered by that, I had hit a button, handy to know…

"What was that?" she asked. "Those images…"

"A basic first circle illusion, 'Silent Image'. As the name suggests, it generates a simple, silent image." I explained. "Handy for distractions or as you saw illustrations. Combined with another little spell 'ghost sound' you can actually make a rather convincing play all on your own." I explained. "Though holding two spells simultaneously can be difficult, and the spell itself has a great number of limitations, mostly in range." I added in.

"Illusion, first circle? It was all fake then?" she asked still not fully out of it.

I nodded. "A made up scenario… admittedly based on an actual fight between two dragons I once witnessed, but for the most part made up. Just a realistic little story to show you the meaning behind my words."

She shivered at that, torn between disbelieving me out of shear unwillingness to believe in such things, but somehow Knowing that I spoke truth.

My guess on that one was the familiar bond.

"Your world really holds such creatures?" she asked quietly.

I nodded, and offered her the tray of fruit I had brought with me. Our meal had been interrupted after all, I selected an apple for myself as I did so. "Yes. And many others like them to be honest. I fear that in the lands I come from, both human and elves are rather low on the food chain." I explained with a bit of morbid humor.

"The enemy of my enemy." She muttered, and I raised an eyebrow at that.

Noticing my words she explained. "Just something my mother told me once."

I nodded, I shelved the subject to be explored later. She continued. "I guess I can understand how humans and elves would work together in your world then." She said shivering again. "To deal with things like That."

"Not all dragons are evil. They are intelligent, rational beings just like any other… they just happen to be very dangerous ones." I stated slyly. "I myself befriended more than one on my travels. Most of my magic was learned from dragons." To be specific my ancestors. "But that is not what has your interest now is it?" I asked.

"Magic… you said you've seen humans who could fight things like that. But I thought magic didn't work on them?" she asked, confused on the apparently contradictory points.

"No, Lesser magic doesn't work on them. You need something powerful, or to simply _Be_ powerful. Some creatures are innately resistant to certain spells as you most likely know." She nodded. "Dragons are rather resistant to most magic, and normally immune to at least a few types of spells. But strong enough ones will overcome their resistance, and harm them." I eyed her carefully. "You might just be capable of such magic given time."

Her eyes widened at that. "Really?" She stated with far more surprise then I had anticipated.

I nodded, well she managed to summon me to begin with, the only other dragon caller of the group had been a girl I'd hesitate to take on in a fight, and she had only brought forth a young one, much less resistant to such things. What was a disintegrate spell compared to that? "I happen to have a fine eye for talent." I informed her, and then smirking poked her on the nose. "I think you have it." Rising up, I took back the tray, and she quickly snatched a few fruits off it.

"What are these circles you speak of then?" she asked. "Last night you called that summoning 'fourth circle' and that illusion 'first circle' when you talked about mages, you mentioned nine." She said.

I raised an eyebrow openly impressed. "You listened. Good. I'm not sure how the magic here works, but where I come from it operates in a strict ranking system of one to nine… well technically zero to ten, but that's more detail then I care to go into." I waved it off. "These ranks are often called levels, or circles, or degrees. The term doesn't really matter that much. What does is that with every advance you increase, the power, complexity, and the difficulty dramatically. A simple attack spell can be more than twice as powerful then it's processor." I smiled ruefully "In truth I myself am only a mage of the fifth, and I've put a lot more effort into getting there than most." I stated firmly.

"pentagon magic?" she whispered wide eyed.

"Pentagon?" I question, then sat back down, and offered another fruit, she was half way through her pear, and I picked up one in kind. "You know It occurs to me, that I have been explain a great deal of the magic of my land, but you still haven't told me much of the magic of this one. I've surmised a few things, but I'd really like to have your take on it."

She took an orange this time, and began to slowly peal it. "Well here magic is done only by nobles." I nodded, having surmised as such. "Nobility comes from magic." That sounded like some sort of propaganda. I really must visit the library here soon. "There are five main elements to magic, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and the lost element of Void."

That confused me. "Lost element? How do you lose an element of your magic system?"

She shot me a look. Good, I didn't want her completely cowed, just respectful. "Magic passes down in bloodlines, as do elements. There have been a few exceptions, but for the most part that is how it is."

"Ah… so it's not just magic, but the element itself that passed down? So a water mage is unable to use fire magic?" I guessed/questioned.

She nodded at once. "Normally. However, you can use different magic from different points." She started.

"Points?" I quested again.

Another look, best be a bit more cautious less she give up in frustration… "All mages are ranked." She started. "Similar to your 'circles' only with our magic, a mage can only reach four." She stated this while looking a little… sheepish? Well four points of power actually reminded me of creatures such as warlocks or dragonfire adepts, both of them use 'invocation's that only reached up through four tiers of power. "These points most often are of the same element. A dot earth mage is likely to become a line Earth mage." She started.

"But not always..." I summarized. "And when you have two… sub elements?"

"Yes!" she nodded. "Like Tabatha, she uses both water and wind to make Ice." She frowned a bit at that, and grimaced like an ugly smell had come across her nose.

Evokers? Wu-Jen? No, go in open minded… this was an entirely new branch of magic.

I couldn't help the giddy feeling the surged up through me at that. Obviously the magic was complex enough to warrant a school. They must have expanded on elemental magic's in ways I could hardly dream of. I leaned in obviously interested. "Ah! Familiars!" I said with a sudden realization. "That one girl had a lizard with a flaming tail, and that boy had a dire mole of some kind. How could I miss it? All are elementally aligned."

She nodded, looking surprised at my deduction. "Yes, a familiar represents what a mage's element is. They are an extension of the mage, and as such as much a part of them as any limb." She quoted poetically. Cute.

I at once started categorizing familiars to the mages I had seen them linked to. This kind of strategic data was invaluable, I could now tell the type of attack an enemy would send at my simply from viewing there companion. Such an odd yet intriguing branch of magic!

That brought me up short however on one thing. What did I represent?

Dragons were elemental creatures, they breath forth primal forces, embodied them, lived as them to an extent.

The thought struck like a lightning bolt.

I looked up at Louise and the words came across my tongue. "Master… what is your element?

I was Darastrix'sjach, a shadow dragon.

She looked down in shame and rage. "…I… don't know. I summoned you right? So I must be a mage. But none of the basic elemental spells work for me." She added in shamefully, as if confessing a hideous secret.

My 'element' if you could call it that was the absence of light, of life, negative energy.

A void.


	2. To Learn, To Teach

To Learn, To Teach

Shadow of Zero XI

"Well that's one way to put it." I kept my new information, still just a guess really, to myself. "I suppose I can learn the rest from books… The afternoon is approaching." I looked outward. "It'll be a clear sky tonight. Tell me Louise de la Vallière… do you wish to learn my school of magic?" I asked her. "To know its intricacies, its power, its price?" I gave a slight loosening of my menace at her. Not much, just enough to touch on the remains that had earlier driven her to ground, to awaken the creeping horrors that had paralyzed her before.

She held firm, wavering in form only for a moment. She looked me steady in the eye. "Yes." It was firm, a whisper, yes, but firm.

I grinned wide. "Then I will do my best to instruct you. I warn you now however, you may have to disregard much of the lessons you've already learned here. Our styles may not be mutually compatible." I trailed off, considering what little of their magic I had seen, what little I knew. Still few forms of magic outright prevented one from learning another. "Still… I feel I can shape this power of yours, help you give it strength, form." Well first by looking up everything on other void users, but even if that was a bust and I couldn't make an epic sorceress out of her, I could still turn her into a half decent wizard given time.

She nodded slowly. "Whatever the price!" She added.

My eyes burned brightly at those words. "Be careful with statements such as that My Master… not all are as unselfish as I." I looked out at the sky again and seemed to consider something. "Your first lesson will begin at midnight." I started. "We will begin over by the lake, away from prying eyes. You have tomorrow off?"

"Does it matter?" She began. "If I can't use Point magic, then shouldn't I focus entirely on circle magic?"

I shot her a scolding look. "No." I stated firmly. "You will continue with your classes, and do your best in them. It would not do to give up on something you've already invested so much effort in." I stated pointedly. "Besides… the styles might not be incompatible. It could be… circle… magic will help you with your original studies." I rolled around the terms for the different styles of arcane magic. I wasn't sure how suitable they were as names. I'd use a more elegant term surely. "Mayhaps it will unlock some block within you." And unleash this mysterious power over void.

She groaned and flopped back. "Then I must attend class tomorrow." She informed me.

"Ah." I noted, I had hoped at least one more day off after the meeting of familiars… Midnight would be a little late to go out into the woods if she was going to be needed in the morning.

"Nine then." I adjusted. She seemed to miss the irony of the chosen time.

I moved back over, and started backing away by bedroll and pillow; really, I should have done so in the morning. "I am going to go do a bit of research on the magic of this land, see if there is anything I can use." I informed her. "One of the teachers might stop by about the little fainting spell." I warned her.

"What? On that…" she said flushing and looking down. "I'll take care of that! You go study! Get ready! Go! Go!" she rushed me out.

"I'm going, I'm going!" I laughed as I was rushed out of the room. Now how to find the library?

It took me several minutes. Interestingly just trying to sniff out the distinct odor of 'books' had left me several false trails. It seemed both student and staff here often carried a personal collection worth note. Again something to investigate when I had the time.

In the end I found the both humble and impressive school library of this mage tower. It wasn't exactly huge, I had seen far larger in the arcane universities of my homeland. It was still very large considering this was an academy for beginners, and not exactly all that large of one at that. I began browsing titles, mostly history texts, with a few simple spell books, and one large tome on magic theory. All went into the Haversack. Say what you would for their collection, it certainly had some rare copies. Age _radiated_ off these books. Most were likely older then I was, cracking one open I noted that most were of the handwritten sort, though some of the younger were made by press.

"Oh my." A sensuous voice called, and I looked up. It was that green haired teacher from before. "What are you doing here?" she questioned, a true inquiry, there was no accusation in her voice

"Reading." I stated the obvious, though with enough of a smile that the jab would not strike deep. "The magic of this land fascinates me… it's so different from where I come from." I admitted freely.

"Truly?" she asked, "I would think elf magic not that different from our own. On another scale perhaps, but still much the same."

"Perhaps it is." I shrugged. "I wouldn't know. My land is far from here. It's all so strange." I tapped the history text. "Hence the other choice of material."

She raised an eye at that. "Interesting…" she rolled the word around in a rather attractive way. Now that had me curious in a way I hadn't felt since I came to this realm. Hum, it had been a while…

"You know." She continued. "You yourself are rather strange." She stated, and hoped up onto the table I was using, showing a generous bit of leg through that uniform… "You're an elf, but I've never heard of one like you." She added, reaching out and touching my skin.

It burned, in a good way, damn it, the worst part was I was now certain she was trying to get something out of me. She was laying it on far too thick for a genuine opening bid. Oh well play the roll monkey, dance until they showed you were the fruit was hidden. I gulped. "S-s-subspecies." I stuttered perfectly. "I'm a Drow, a Dark elf." I stated. "You're probably used to high elves."

"Oh?" she traced a line across my jaw, and I leaned in to a calculated amount. "And just what is a 'Drow?'" she asked seductively, a flash of triumph in her face.

"Were stealthy, quite types… live underground, away from all the danger up top." By now rumors and stories would start circling around from the students. I had to work with that as best as I could. "We don't waste so much time fighting… there are so many ways much better ways to waste eternity right?" I gave my absolutely worst attempt at back flirting. I must say I was almost proud with how lame and overeager that sounded, add a touch of nervousness and presto.

"Indeed." She purred in mirth. "So you wouldn't say you're much of a fighter then?" she sounded almost disappointed, laying the bait for a trap.

To play this game or no? Hum, choices… No. I honestly just didn't have the time, two apprentices, research, and a blue haired witch child to prove myself to… far too much on my plate to deal with this right now.

Instead I pounced on my own, my posture at once shifting to a cold serious tone. "No… not much of a fighter at all." I informed her with a predator's purr. "After all, if you do things right, there's never much fight to begin with." My eyes flashed dangerously. "What do you want?"

She snapped back as if struck, then composed herself, off balance. "Nothing." She said quickly sliding off leaving the room.

I smirked slightly. "Interesting." I debated stalking her. Flirting from shadow to shadow I could discern her intent with little effort… again, not quite worth it. Not from what I had seen. I looked back into the book, and worked over lines.

It was time for Siesta's first lesson soon after all.

Shadow of Zero XII

I got around half way through the book by six, at that point I left to hunt down my first apprentice in wizardry.

Luckily enough I had memorized the young servant's unique sent. It made tracking much easier. Surprisingly enough she was still in the kitchen, I entered through the shadows… again it was growing just dark enough for me to have a wide road, but not so dark as to warrant lit torches.

I watch Siesta work over the dishes, freshly dirtied from the mass picnic, and stepped forth out of the darkness. "Feeling better?" I asked in my normal curious/casual tone.

It's a good thing she was in a skirt, because she'd have jumped right out of any set of pants she had been wearing. "You!" she yelled in surprise.

I put on my best sheepish look. "I am dreadfully sorry about that earlier event. If there is any way I can make up for it, please let me know."

"No no no!" she waved off. "It's fine, I was just… overwhelmed." She threw it off. "That was amazing! It looked so real, with the people, and the dragons, and Headmaster Osmond!"

I smiled at the reaction, at least some good had come from it then. "You still wish to start with the lessons then?" I asked her.

"Of course! I mean yes, please." She said slipping back into a more 'proper' state, and then bowed deeply.

I tried not to stare at the view offered by that. I really really did.

As it was the glance I gave wasn't TO intrusive… and it's not like I couldn't sense everything already vea blindsense.

Dear gods had that green woman really rile me up that badly? I needed to get out more.

"Right then, are you ready for your first lesson then?" I asked.

"What, here!" she squeaked.

I shrugged. "Why not? The location doesn't matter to much, not for the start, quite would be better yes, but you'll need to learn to deal with such distractions anyway. I don't suppose you know anything of meditation?"

She slowly shook her head. And I nodded. "Right, that's the first lesson. You can't cast magic until you can call it. And you can't call it with your head so cluttered." I signed. "This… may take a while."

I began leading her through basic mental exercises, finding the clear spots within one's mind, blocking out sound, sight, and touch vea random prods with a nearby cooking utensil.

I'd move onto pain, psychic attacks, and pleasurable stimulus later, for now this would do the trick.

She couldn't hold a state of quite mind long. Enviably something brushed through her paper thin control and snapped her out of it. But her drive was impressive, and her efforts not fruitless. She had the basics down enough to practice on her own.

"This is just the first stage." I explained. "First you must be able to clear your mind, then hold it tranquil while in motion, then control it. Only once you control your mind, can you through it, control the world." I quoted/explained to her. "The mind is the source of a Wizard's power. There is no magic in your blood, but there is magic in the world. Once you can drink from the world, one does not need magic of the self." Really it was mostly philosophical mumbo jumbo, but it worked more often than not.

With Siesta it seemed to be working. She was opening up… or closing down rather. Regardless for this stage of it anyway she could self study.

Once I saw she got the hang of it I dug into my haversack. "Here a gift, from master to apprentice." I withdrew an old leather bound book. "Don't mind the tricks it plays on your eyes. It's been enchanted to make itself understood." I smirked slightly at that. The book was written in draconic, and in fact with enough time studying it, one could grow fluent in the written aspect of the text. But like most magic tomes it wanted to be understood, and had its ways of insuring it. I had little doubt given the servants enthusiasm she'd not regret the initial headaches.

Daintily she reached out and grasped the book, gasping slightly as she realized something was… Off about it.

I smirked at her. "You can feel it can't you? Sense something just a little off?" I asked.

She nodded quietly, taking the book and examining it reverently. "What is it?"

"My first year spell book." I stated plainly. "It's mostly arcane theory, but it dose brake down a few cantrips. Even if I were to disappear today, with that book you could learn much on your own. Maybe not enough to be a full wizard, but quite possibly…"

"Enough to be a noble!" she stated in surprise. Her eyes shot wide and looked at me.

I grinned. "Maybe." I stated mysteriously. "Work on your exercises first and foremost." I ordered her. "That book will do you no good until you can at least hold a tranquil state while doing your daily chores." I reminded her. "Remember, your spells are like living things. They are energy, borrowed from the world. You have to make a home for them or they will flee from you." I explained in metaphor. "You must trust in them, care for them, and in turn they will serve you unconditionally." I held my fists firm before me.

She nodded quickly. "I'll remember! Thank you… Thank you." She smiled brightly, and I was fairly sure she was now holding back tears.

"Now now enough of that." I turned back to the dishes. "Your lessons went on longer then I had expected, we've fallen behind. Help me by filling the sink." I grabbed a tray.

Inwardly I wondered how Louise would stack up compared to Siesta. How would my efforts to make a sorceress out of her, stack to my successes in showing wizardry in this young girl? Both were approximately the same age, both were passionate, driven, and both started as relatively blank, but very promising slates… it would be interesting, I considered. To watch how they developed.

I fought down my smirk. Yes… this would be a most interesting project indeed.

Shadow of Zero XIII

I returned to my Master's room at what was roughly half past eight, to find her sitting at the edge of her bead waiting anxiously. "Is it time?" she asked of me in the tone all young girls must have known by instinct. You could see her barely containing the urge to burst out.

I nodded. "Come." I waved a hand, then eyed back. "And put on a jacket, there's a slight chill out tonight." I advised.

She obediently did so, with an almost manic energy. It was hard not to smile at her antics.

What school to start her on? Perhaps some simple conjuration? Most arcaneist were rather limited in what they could do in that school, but then most did not have a dragon to teach them… then again it was also one of the more complex of the mystic arts… Divination then? Despite the need for intense focus it was actually a very basic form of magic when brought down to the basics, all it did is enhance the senses, or set an overlay unto them, directly or no.

Additionally, while not all that impressive externally, it tended to have quite the flashy affect for the caster themselves. Yes, divination would be an excellent place to start.

We left out to the courtyard, and from there further out to the lake. I could see a line of trees out in the distance, hum, might be a good spot for midnight hunting.

I'd need to be able to sleep in if I wanted to do that however… only so many hours in the day after all, even dragons needed sleep. Honestly the idea was still tempting, we were only on day two and already this dayshift thing was killing me.

Coming to a stop a few feet from the shore, I shot a hand out to stop Louise. "Alright." I said. "For now, this will be our training ground. Put away your wand." I stated.

This surprised the pink haired girl considerably. "Put it away? But I thought we were going to learn magic."

I raised an eyebrow. "Circle magic." I used the term again, damn it, I really needed a proper name for that before 'circle' magery stuck. "Have you ever seen me use an implement?" I raised an eyebrow. "The Arcane arts of my land sometimes use reagents, spell catalysts to trigger or amplify there power, foci to form a symbolic link, but the only people who actually need an implement are clerics, and that is because they use them as a link to their patrons."

"Casting without a wand." She whispered to herself, apparently not fully believing it.

I nodded. "Right, so put that thing away. Now I need to ask a question of you. Have you ever used magic without intending to? Made things happen, lights, sounds, maybe sent a book flying, or set a man's hair on fire?" I smirked slightly at the last one.

"No!" she snapped, eyes narrowed. "Why would I have done that?"

"I said without intending to." I frowned. "Alright, at what age did you start practicing magic? What were your typical results?"

"Since I was born." She stated in an annoyed tone. "I was holding a wand before I could even walk!"

"And did it work for you?" I raised an eyebrow.

She looked down. "No…" she grew frustrated. "Every spell ends in the same things, just another blasted explosion!"

I raised an eyebrow. "An explosion? Show me."

She reached for her wand, and I reached out stopping her. "No." I shook my head. "Your wands how do they work? Do you know?"

She twitched, very much wanting her little crutch. I could read it off of her. "The wand focuses a noble's magic, it helps them shape it, and amplify the power of their spells."

Now that rendered my curious, the implements they used I originally took as just a basic implement, or spell focus, where now sounding more like a spell catalyst. I'd have to acquire one to dismantle later. I let her hand go. "Alright take it." I said. I could teach her how to cast without such crutches later. It wasn't That much harder to do without really, and honestly far too large a vulnerability to exploit in my mind.

I waved a hand out to the water. "Take you shot."

Eyes narrowed she withdrew her wand in a simple utilitarian motion. Strait to business type eh? I could work with that. She pointed her want out at the lake and called up the power within her. "Fireball!" she called, surprising the heck out of me.

I could feel the power lash out, a chaotic bolt of energy twisting and jerking along its path, more akin to 'Chaos Hammer' then any elemental evocation I had ever seen. The invisible bolt crashed into a wave and a massive burst of water, air, and raw concussive force lashed out wildly in all directions.

"Woh." I stated surprised… a force spell? No… it was more akin to a much more violent form of 'Implosion' Just a second before the detonation went off all air seemed to drain in, had she actually disintegrated the air quickly enough to induce a shockwave?

Forget divination, my master had a strong gift for evocation, plain and simple. If I was going to keep her interested in my brand of magic I'd need to play to her strengths for now… besides it was almost criminal to not try and tap potential like THAT.

"Alright." I said looking at her. "I'm impressed." What to teach her then? 'Ray of Frost' was out, that much power would overload any cantrip I taught her until she gained a more fine control. I needed something not of the traditional elements; her bias would affect the casting, something with enough power… Ah perfect. "You seem to have a gift." I said in a pleased tone.

"Gift? It was just another failure!" she raged in despair. "It was supposed to be a wave of flame."

"And instead you unleashed a powerful bolt that would most likely level a small building. As an attack spell I think you got the original intent beat." I commented. "I think I know where to start you now. Tell me Louise, have you ever seen someone throw Lighting?"

Her eyes lit up. "Like the blue dragon?" she asked.

I nodded. "You have the power for it… it's not one of your conventional spells, but I think I can make it work for you."

Our attempts were… difficult. Her magic was strongly predisposed to destruction, I managed to refine the aim and control of the bolt. Once I had informed her that she was in fact producing a projected, if transparent, spell, her accuracy had shot leaps and bounds.

But making it form into anything But a negation of the world it touched was proving difficult.

Time for another track.

"All of the world is made up of tiny little things known as atoms." I explained. "They form larger things, known as molecules, and are in turn formed of smaller things known as particles."

"I know this!" she said "We call them grains." She informed. "A mage can manipulate the grains in an object, to shape them to their will."

That was interesting… not to unexpected, I had been surprised back when I first reached my own school, that most wizards knew far more about physics then your standard medieval civilization had any right to. It came with the territory, magic was a science, and art after all, you needed to understand what you were using in order to do it right.

And when you were changing the nature of time and space, well you needed to know the rules of time and space.

"Right." I said. "Well your magic seems to like to remove these grains, break them down." I stated. "What I need you to do is while it's doing so take hold of the smallest, lightest of the parts the brake down into." I stated, and considered making an illusionary model of a simple carbon atom to show her.

"Take hold of them?" she asked.

"Close your eyes." I told her. I needed to limit sensory input for now. Keep her focused entirely on the task.

She hesitated, but did as I asked. "Now what?"

"Cast another explosion, a small one, and reach out and feel it, feel what it is doing, how it affects those grains." I went to a lower voice there, using basic hypnotism to help, the same I had used with my little illusionary 'show', the same I had used to help teach Siesta.

"Yes…" she said, and then her eyes narrowed and she cast forth another spell.

It was actually oddly beautiful, she had somehow managed to slow down the effect. A dark sphere formed, small. The orb of annihilation eating anything that touched it, including the photons that formed light.

"I can feel them." She said surprised.

"Good." I said. "Now take hold of them, just the small parts, the light ones. The little bits that dance around the parts all stuck together."

The dark sphere collapsed, and brightened to a growing orb of cackling lighting. I grinned wide. She muttered to herself. "This is it? It's so easy…" I saw the orb expand, and begin to warp into different shapes, chaotic, unrefined, but quite definitely controlled.

Time to show her what she had done. "Open your eyes." I commanded.

She did so, and let out a yep of surprise, before she lost all control of the orb of ball lighting, and it shot down into the earth with a violent crack.

"Congratulations. Not quite what we were aiming for, but you've done it. You've conjured lighting." I informed her.

"I did it?" she asked in shock and surprise. "I did it!" She yelled, and then started all but dancing. "I did it! I did it! I did it!" she sang aloud in happiness.

"And this is just the start." I informed her. "This power you hold over the tiny bits of reality, this control on the things that make up the things, that make up us. Given a bit of time you can use it to do so much more."

She looked at me in surprise. "More?"

I nodded. "You need to learn to soften your grasp a little. Stop breaking apart the elements you move so directly, but given time you should be able to do everything any other mage can do and more."

"Anything any mage… any element can do?" she asked surprised.

I nodded "From what I can see… you work on a different level than most nobles." I started. "Where most people move the grains of reality to reshape them how they will, you affect the grains of the grains. You've been tearing apart anything you've tried to effect, and just making it all fall apart, making explosions."

She nodded, drinking it all in with a rapped, attention. "And you can teach me how not to not do that?"

I grinned ferally. "I can teach you to Use that." I started. "And yes, how to move all the little parts together to make the big parts all move as one. With a little practice, yes, you could use every element in this land, a little more, and I can show you how it can be used to form countless other effects." Illusions, elemental transmutations, a little practice of pushing her power outside of the boundaries of the material and I'd have her summoning in no time. I had really stumbled across a prodigy this time… or had she stumbled across me?

Regardless, I now knew what I would be focusing on for the majority of my stay here. This girl, this tiny little girl had the power to reshape nations within her. I had Never heard of talent like this. Mystra's chosen were not born with this kind of power.

I needed to see where it would take her.

Shadow of Zero XIV

I escorted Louise back to the castle proper, but stopped at the doorway. "Goodnight master." I said with a slight bow.

She stopped and turned to look at me. "What? What are you waiting for familiar?"

I looked out. "I think I will stay out this night. It's been to long since I've had a chance to run the woods. Provided you approve of course." I added quickly.

She frowned, I could tell easily she wished to deny me, however… I had just given her a gift. The one gift she had always wanted, the one thing she had always wanted. Guilt and greed warred with one another, and eventfully she took the high choice. "Very well… but you will be ready to serve by morning!" she added warningly.

I grinned wide. "Thank you master!" I turned back to the green, and looked up at the night sky. I could already feel muscles tensing in excitement.

I took off like a dart and didn't look back for a moment, I wasn't walking, jogging, I was outright running, the warm surge of power pumping through my legs. I called to the darkness and it shrouded me, my form fading from view.

And then, half way past the lake I let go.

My form rippled.

You'd think it would be painful, changing every part of my body, my form falling over as hands became claws, became paws, my sprint became bounds, as I worked both set of limbs in consort. Wings, huge translucent sails of flesh, bone and scale burst free and stretched forth. My tailbone extended rapidly and dramatically, my neck and face lengthening.

My form grew explosively, and in the time between heartbeats were was once a smallish male Drow, a man barely clearing five feet in height, now ran a beast of legend.

Yes, you'd think it would hurt, so many changes, a warping violation of my very body. But it didn't. No, if anything it felt good, liberating, to be so free after so long.

I'm small for my age, really, only around twelve feet from the base of my tail, to the tip of my snout, with the length of my neck, that wasn't nearly as much as it sounded. I was only around four foot at the shoulder.

Built slender, wiry, like a serpent mixed with a hunting cat, I tore a track, as my wings caught the wind around me, not enough to take me into the air, but just enough to **feel** it again after so long… I gave a sharp downward pump and my legs retracted. I let loose a roar of glee, I was flying… after so long, to taste the free air again…

It was like being drunk really. Dragons made great enemies, and better allies, but to BE the dragon… oh, if only others could know what it was like. To fly unaided, to feel the nigh infinite power thrumming from within.

It was the kind of high that explained so much of the infamous arrogance of my kin. How could we not, when we felt like this? I tuned my tail to adjust for my head, letting me freely gaze up to the open moon. I drank in the sky with senses that would put an eagle's to shame. My wings beat again, and again, the darkness shielding my form from common view.

And I was not alone.

Flying at a more sedate pace, further out by the academy itself was the other, and her witch child companion. I banked lazily, and moved to cross paths.

I trilled at them, a loud reverberating sound of joy and greetings. Not a true word, but the meaning was clear.

The blue haired one's head snapped in my direction, eyes searching.

I laughed, and flew over them giving a sharp down thrust, slowing to half speed, and banking to hold place a few feet above and to the right of them. "I'm up here." I peeled away partly from the shadows, and let myself be viewed. In the dark of the light sky I was still all but invisible, my form vaguely transparent, solid, but as is cast from living smoke or ash. I met her cold ice blue eyes with my warm burgundy red ones. I banked lower, and got us to head level. "It is a wonderful night to fly." I stated looking from the mage to the dragon.

She was looking at me in an open mix of awe and curiosity. "ku…." She sounded. "Big sister?" she asked. Her voice young, toned high and lyrical.

"You." She accused more than stated, staff ready.

I refused to allow it to ruin my mood. "Me!" I chirped, in a obvious amused tone.

"Kukuyu, Me too!" The younger dragon chimed in.

I laughed. "Play?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

The small lady (for she certainly was no girl) did not seem amused at my antics. That was fine, she wasn't the one I was interested in at the moment.

I banked hard to the side, then rolled into a sharp dive, snapping open my wings as I approached the large lining wall of the castle, riding the updraft formed by the large walls and castle heating into a big upward spiral.

"Kukuyu kuyu!" The blue dragon called again. "Big sister!" she begged. I looked down at them, and swore that the dragon was biting at her lips.

"Come on!" I called down at them, breaking out of the thermal, and circling above. I needed to know more of this dragon, and by extension her rider.

"Kuyu!" The dragon cried again.

I tried a different track. "You'll never know what I'm up to unless you chase me!" I sung in a childish tone. I pulled hard and swung out over towards the lake.

A burst of speed and the blue form raced up at me, "Kukukayu!" she crowed on her own.

I let out a laughing roar, and then pulled into another sharp rolling dive, catching myself and trailing over the water top, my dark form indistinct over there black depths. I let my tail tap the water at random intervals', catching a wave at random to mark my place.

She was pulling up fast, far faster than I expected of one with such small wings. I poured on the speed, and beat my wings hard, the tips tapping the water with every down stroke. I hit the shore and the sharp updraft sent me rocketing up.

The smaller dragon caught my slipstream and began holding pace, I didn't dare look back, I couldn't afford the unnecessary drag now.

A sudden sharp down thrust of wind crashed into me and knocked me off course… miraculously I noted that my competitor did not suffer the same fate.

Keen eyes locked on the small mage's face, and the slight, almost none existent, smug smirk that was on it place.

My eyes narrowed. "That's cheating!" I roared in challenge. "Well two can play that way, **Expeditious Retreat!**" The magic surged through my legs and wings, strengthen them far beyond what nature would allow. Suddenly my wing beats were moving me at twice their normal range. I caught her slipstream, and closed the gap fast. I couldn't hold the spell long, a number of minutes, but she was simply so fast, and honestly it wouldn't be fun if either of us held to great a lead. That wasn't what this race was about.

She banked to the side, riding the downwind. Unlike me she had a passenger, and no matter how firmly secured, that limited her ability to maneuver.

I under cut her, and retook the lead, dodging a surge of headwind as the mage who road upon her cast forth another spell. "You'll have to try harder than that!" I challenged.

She did.

Again and again we traded spots, dancing in the sky under the pale moon's light. The young magus was very skilled, and more than made up for her burden upon my rival. Her wind magic granting her domination of the sky easily equal to my own.

It was more fun than I had enjoyed in a literal dog's age. Still we tired, hours past, and though we could continue, both I and the rider had business in the morning. We circled, I faded into the shadows, and when we touched ground, I retook the form of an elf.

Pulling away from the shadows I was revealed again, and offered a smile. I was panting lightly, and there was a manic energy to my eyes.

Though subtler, going to the effort to conceal it, so two was the mage. Her eyes locked to mine with what I knew was a rare focus.

We shared a moment… then she spoke. "Explain." She invited.

I wasn't about to pass up such an opening.

Shadow of Zero XV

I bowed deeply. "Greetings noble Mage. Allow me to introduce myself." I am a man of wealth and taste… damn that was a good endorphin rush! "I am known Levethix'moxt." As I rose I tilted my head to the young dragon behind her. "My friends, what few I have here, call me Lev."

"Kuuuyu…" The dragon leaned in. "Leveth-ku! Ku ku!" she was interrupted.

I laughed. Yes she was a young one indeed, not a wyrmling certainly, but most likely not more than fifty if even that.

"Tabitha" The mage breathed out in a quite tone. "Slyphid." She leaned her staff back to the young dragon.

"Irukuku is Irukuku… except when Irukuku isn't Irukuku, kuyu…" she explained in simple logic.

I nodded. "That is when you are Slyphid?" I guessed.

The bluenet nodded.

"Big sister gave me a new name!" The dragon explained. "Cause talking's a secret Kuyu." She nodded smartly.

I was nearly overcome by the cuteness. Was she _Trying_ to be that adorable? She must be. "You don't want to be found. I guess I can understand… no one here seems to know of our kind." I looked at her pointedly. "Why is that by the way?" I asked, the questioning had been bothering me.

Irukuku slumped and made a sad sound.

Tabitha did not look happy at that. But she seemed willing to let this one slide. "Extinct." She stated the word quietly.

I snapped back as if stuck. Extinct? What? How! I was quick to verbalize this. "Extinct!"

"That we Know." She stated quietly, and then looked at Irukuku. I did the same.

"Your hiding… someone began hunting dragons, leading some kind of a crusade?" I guessed.

"No." was the reply. "All gone… no one knows why."

"We were a small group, Kuyu…" the younger dragon explained. "Irukuku doesn't know much Ku… the old ones kuku, and… kuyu." She warbled sadly.

I wasn't in a much better state… grief, warred with rage and confusion. Just gone? What could have driven the entire population of true dragons underground? I needed answers. Answers I was most certainly not going to find in this school.

I looked at the pare and felt a moment of hope, obligation, and a powerful biological compulsion. I looked to the smaller of the pare, the girl not much shorter then I, and I bowed. "Thank you Noble mage… I see the reasons behind your actions now." I rose back up, and looked again to Irukuku. "I… I am not that old." I started. "I am still not that strong. I know much of magic, I know much of how to hiding as a dragon. I Will help you." I vowed. "At night, at times like this, I will teach you [b]all[/b] that I can." I offered. "In the morn, if you need me, seek me out and I will do my best to keep you safe." What else could I do? I had no layer to offer shelter with, my horde contained few items of might to help protect her. "Can you take human shape?" I asked quickly.

Her blue eyes were wide as she took in my words, and nodded quickly, making affirmative trills.

I exhaled in relief. That was one less lesson I needed to teach. "Good… That will make things easier if you need to hunt me down in the middle of class." I looked up at the sky, and noted how high the moons were in the sky.

"It's getting late… we will talk again tomorrow night." I looked to Tabitha.

She nodded, looking down.

I paused… was there anything else truly to say? I had found kin here, and they were friendly. Worrying in the extreme, but friendly. Mentally I reviewed all the obligations I had somehow pick up for myself in the mere two nights I had been with this realm. Two apprentices, a servant bond to an ungodly powerful sorceress, my own research into the strange magic of this land… and now a young dragon, still naïve to this world, who I had to protect for both the sake of her, my own secret, and quite possibly the greater fate of my race.

Whatever happened to my nice cushy job as familiar?

I sighed, there was nothing else I could do now, I had to return, and there were classes in the morning. Classes I desperately needed to attend if I wished to learn more of the magic of this world. Something that my instincts told me would be beyond vital in my stay here.

I found myself walking the halls openly, too much contemplation needed to surrender my place to the shadows.

I walked through the real, world, light and darkness washing over my skin, mind tossed for a loop. Extinct? How? My mind conjured images of great wars, of the population of the world rising up against individual dragons, ripping them down vea sheer numbers. Of the mysterious elves of this land of eldritch things coming up and stalking them like simple animals. I thought of large cover-ups, of rewritten history books and totalitarian regimes , and ancient conspiracies.

In the end it was all guesses, all theory's, ideas. I didn't know enough, damn it! Story of my life, I just didn't know enough of the situation, of what happened, of what was happening, of how the politics were moving, how the magic here worked, the hierarchy, who I needed to muscle in For the information I needed. Who I dared not annoy, or draw the eye of…

What the hell was up with the elves that I wore the form of…

I opened the door to my master's room, sliding in, and shutting it quickly and silently, as to not let the warm air out.

Helpless… damn it, always so damned helpless. I was supposed to be a King serpent. A beast lord of land and sky… yet I always ended up like this. Not enough time, not enough knowledge, not enough **Power**.

No point brooding over it… Tomorrow would be busy, I had school, and three students now to teach. Where would I find the time? No enough of that. No more worrying. That was for tomorrow, for now I just needed rest, some sleep.

Yes... I pulled forth my bedroll, and slid it down onto my hey hewn sleeping area, slipping down inside the fine cloths. Just sleep…

I closed my eyes.

Sleep.

A flash of sad blue eyes…

Sleep damn it!

My eyes opened, and I looked to the roof. "Well… this sucks." I commented.

Shadow of Zero XVI

I didn't really get much sleep that night. I ended up reading my 'acquired' collection. The subject of dragons wasn't touched on much; they had been 'wiped out' by an unknown factor millennia ago, shortly after the death of 'Founder Brimir.' The man who had apparently first uncovered magic, and used it (with great success) to conquer the vast majority of the continent. It was worth noting that the man apparently was also the first, and according to the book, only user of the Void.

Given my suspicions, and how quickly Louise had picked up the basics of evocation, it wasn't hard to believe that someone similarly gifted could devise an entire style of magic given a lifetime.

I learned much of the rise and fall of the local empires, of the four apprentices, the four kingdoms they founded, of the rise of nobles, and how magi had grown so numerous that one in ten could call themselves a magus.

Eventually my curiosity and desire to learn beat out my bad mood, and I dug into the arcane theory. I learned of Earth magic, of its golems, crafts, it's ability to make buildings and weapons of war in a matter of moments, Permanent structures mind you, not simply conjured things. That held my interest firmly, I'd find quite the market in being able to make gold from common stone, or fine blades from simple earth.

I learned of wind magic, how it could be twinned to others to numerous effects, though largely in enchantment. How it became the spear point as an element of war, speeding strike, hindering foes, lashing out with cutting winds, or crushing pressure. There were subtle tricks to it, bending of air to form lenses to see in the distance, shielding oneself from fiction on a mount to ride freely on dragon or gryphon back. It was a versatile element, not so much as earth, but with more direct combat ability. Wind mages largely enlisted as soldiers, and if I were to do battle in this land, it would be they I would have most to fear.

Fire, as odd as it sounded, held least interest to me. It could heat thing, burn things, a million and one common uses both in and out of combat. But the magic was strait forward, crude, and inelegant. I knew more of fire magic by my juvenile years then this entire culture had ever discovered. I shook my head, memorized the capabilities, but largely my interest was tapped out before it began. My own school of magic had long _long_ since mastered the detailed research into… burning things.

Really it wasn't so much that the magic was sub-par compared to the other spells, it wasn't, it was simply my own form of arcane lore was so much better at setting annoying things on fire.

Water was another interesting path. It was also further proof that this land did have things it could teach me. Water was one of the most difficult magic's to use freely in the land, this was obviously do to the fact one needed water to manipulate, there was only so much one could draw from the air and earth around them after all. But it was how they used it that interested me.

Yes the concept of liquid barriers and striking rams, held merit. Normally if I were to go to the effort of conjuring a material to weaponized, I'd go for something a bit sturdier, such as stone, or steel, I had never considered a liquid shield in depth before. Water compacted with the same difficulty of steel, and with a mind to guide it, it could be reformed with far greater ease then a stone wall. Yes it would be less able to withstand a single strong blow, but it would also be able to regenerate from numerous witling strikes. Handy if you were to face vastly superior numbers of inferior opponents.

But the real gem with water was healing. Healing! I couldn't believe it. Very few arcane arts were capable of mending living flesh, one often had to go to ether drastic measures, or highly exotic disciplines in order to men something as simple as basic nicks and scrapes…

These people had learned how to bind a body back together with water, how to manipulate it into healing itself with dramatically greater efficiency, easily on par with their 'circle' equivalents.

Damn now she had me doing it. I shot a mock glare at my still sleeping master. She made a cute little noise and rolled over.

Ah Louise… I may have to call on the debt of my lessons from you all too soon.

Really ideally most of my problems could be solved simply by gathering up Louise, Siesta, and Irukuku all together, and teaching them at once. Perhaps Tabitha as well if she felt it prudent to learn. But insuring that I could do so safely would be a trial in and of itself. Louise was well programmed by her society. All nations did it, and it was hardly wholly a bad thing. But I would have to break her of it at least in part. Perhaps a small comment here, a question there, get her wondering how the other aspect of my arts worked? How she would stack up against a wizard similarly trained? If I broadened her mind enough she might even catch me in my little manipulations, and turn the tables on me entirely.

I grinned at the prospect, ah, now that would be something… Still it would take time to get any of the three to that point, much less all of them.

I turned back to the books before me. The reagents of this land were interesting, as were the foci. I was not entirely accurate on my guess as their purpose as a universal spell catalyst. The Mages of this land didn't take many of the shortcuts of my land, they had to hardnosed through things that I knew a number of bypasses to. It make their magic simpler, less complex, and over all less powerful, but more routed in the material, more Real. To get the effects they needed to throw the entirety of there will behind each spell, the absolute total of their effort into Forcing the world into the shape they desired.

There is an old saying about two men and a cart I heard once, I couldn't quite recall it, but I knew it was just the one to summaries the situation.

Wands, staffs, other implements helped direct their magic. There magic was routed in there will power, there focus, and it and chants took the strain off of 'shaping' the spell, letting them throw the entirety of their mystical 'muscles' behind the push.

Without them, I'd estimate they'd lose somewhere around seven eights of their ability to cast. Most, long used to their use, would be utterly helpless without.

I knew a few tricks around that. Louise would be my test bed to see how they worked out, but again, I needed the basics hammered down first.

Ah the joy of teaching.

A glimmer of light passed through the window, and I realized it was morning. I blinked the sleep from my eyes, and rose. It seemed I had pulled an all nighters again… I was going to pay for that.

Well best go help make breakfast. Louise was going to be pissed at me if I drowsed off in the middle of the day. If I bribed my way into her good graces now then I might receive a bit more leniency…

Rising up I stifled a yawn… oh joy. This was going to be… _Fun_.

Shadow of Zero XVII

I made my way to the kitchens and wondered for a moment if Tristan had coffee as one of its national drinks. If not I'd damned well introduce it. I had gotten half of Toril hooked after letting it lose in Silverymoon, and I'd darned well do it again if that way the only way to get a good cuppa.

The smell of good food, and simmering tea rushed into me, and I drank it down, finding new energy in the aroma.

I slipped in through the shadows, as I normally did, appearing beside a slightly groggy, but still diligent Siesta. "Long night?" I asked.

She jumped, the surprise flushing any tiredness out of her. "Gah! Stop doing that !"

"Lev please." I waved off. "You're my apprentice now, we can stand to be a little less formal." I informed her.

"Lev." She rolled the name around in her mouth for a moment. "Alright Mr. Moxt!" She agreed happily.

As tired as I was it actually took a second to register what she had done.

Casting a baleful look, I started on the dishes, as was quickly becoming our ritual.

"Kukuyu!" A familiar voice trilled. "Levekukuoxkuyu!" My head shot up, and swiveled to the source.

I had all of a second to register a flash of blue before I was tackled by roughly one hundred and twenty pounds of soft nubile flesh.

I hit the ground with a loud thump, and a look of utter surprised. Not as planned! Definitely Not As Planned!

Looking down at the bright teal eyes beaming into my eyes, I really had only one question.

"Irukuku… why are you naked?"

Naturally this was just about the right time for 'Gofer one' to pitch over with a huge nosebleed.

The big guy closed his eyes and pinched his nose. "Mr. Moxt, would you care to explain?" he was quite obviously not amused.

Think fast Lev! Think faster then you've ever thought before! Magical bullshit powers activate! DO SOMETHING!

I found something rather soft in my hand, experimentally I gave it a slight squeeze.

Irukuku lit up red. "Leveku- Lekuku- Kukuyuku!" she… 'kued?' … "Big brother!" she settled on, complainingly. "Not here!"

Oh dear gods… if any moment in my life had ever managed to make me feel like a dirty old man, this _This_ was it.

I reacted with as much grace and charm as could be expected given the situation.

"GAH! What in the nine hells Irukuku!" I yelled as I burst free and crab walked as fast as I could.

Given my experience as a pseudo quadruped I actually managed a decent pace. Rising swiftly to my feat, I snapped my hand forth. "**Greater Shadow Conjuration!**"

Calling forth my native element, I shaped the shadow stuff into a 'minor creation' spell; I formed and caught a simple cloak of fine linins the same teal shade as her eyes. Continuing the motion of my hand, I threw it over her. "Cover yourself please." I stated earnestly. The item fluttered for a moment, before settling over her head, like a poorly concealed teddy bear under a blanket.

The drain of the spell hit and I felt a spike of pressure between my eyes… ouch.

Well at least it didn't backfire. Even if I had been more than a little distracted when I cast the thing.

"Kuyu…" A head popped out of the neck of the large piece of mana made fabric. "Big brother?" she looked up at me with puppy dog eyes, looking utterly adorable in a confused innocent kind of way.

I sighed. "I'm sorry Sir. This is a friend of mine I met through one of my master's classmates. I didn't know she would be stopping by today."

"And her clothes?" asked a voice that _Radiated_ Righteous feminine fury.

I did not wish to turn my head to the side, and see the look of doom upon my apprentices face, I had no idea how far into my old spell book she had delved. Spell resistance or not, supernatural toughness or not, I Was Not Going There.

"Big brother?" Irukuku cooed again with a slight warble to her voice looking with SAD puppy dog eyes, she leaned in as she tried to find her way around the restrictive cloth.

Gods why did you hate me? This was your fault Timat wasn't it? You were always bitter that I didn't turn to the darkside!

"It's fine Irukuku." I stated calmly, tapping into that long underused paternal instinct as best as I could.

"Gasp!" she said eyes wide. No… she didn't gasp, she actually said the word. "You said my name!" she informed me.

"Yes Irukuku." I nodded. "Because Irukuku is Irukuku." I said slowly, let her pick it up, dear gods let her pick it up!

She tilted her head to the side in confusion, then her eyes widened. "AH! Of course! Your real smart big brother!"

I turned to the gathering. I shook my head. "I think she was hit with a spell gone wrong." I explained away. "I know she was visiting her sister. She was very different last night." I stated with a curious tone, as if confused.

Yeah, very different, as in a few hundred pounds bigger, with scales, and another set of limbs different! I needed to get her out of here, fast. "I think I should get her out to her room." I said apologetically.

"Big brother?" she said tilting her head to the other side this time. GAH! To adorable. What was with this land and cuteness? It was like it tried to compensate for all the missing supernatural threats by weaponizing all things adorable!

The big guy nodded. "I think that'd be for the best." He now looked sympathetic, I thought I heard one of the older ladies add in a 'pore lass', but I was a bit to focused on other issues to really pay attention.

"It's OK." I explained to the rather curvy bluenet, as I walked over, and helped her up. She stood a few inches above my current form, a fact that somehow irritated me. "I'll explain when we get you to your sisters… why did you come to see me Irukuku?"

We cleared the door and started down the halls. Fortunately it was still very early in the morning, only a few people were up and about.

She made another sound. "Ku…. I was so lonely big brother, I'm all alone out there in the woods. Ku… no other drakuyuku…" she despaired. "So I thought Ku! I'd come visit Levethyukukukuyu!" she stated. Was my name really That hard to pronounce? "He would know what to do!"

I sighed. "Irukuku, I am busy most days. You're not supposed to come get me in the morning unless it's an emergency."

Her eyes widened in what had to be the most evilly moe thing I had ever thing. "But but but Ku! I'll kukukuyukuyuyuku!" she started.

I breathed deep, hand to my face. I put a hand on her shoulder. I looked her in the eye and tried to properly convey the importance of this. "I know it's not nice." I started. "But as things are, it's too dangerous for you to just walk the halls. And I have a lot of things I Need to do here. You understand?"

It was like taking a kitten from a toddler… she seemed to deflate on herself, and shrunk back. "I understand." She said in a softer sadder tone.

Really. She was apparently a lot older then I had guessed, but was definitely still… young. I guess it was true what they said, it wasn't the age, it was the mileage.

"Hey… it's ok." I said trying to cheer her up. "We can still play at nights." I reminded her. "And maybe we can work out a way for you to visit like this, in the mornings too!" I added quickly.

I near instantly regretted it. She squeezed me like a grape. I wasn't sure what method she used to change shape, but whatever it was apparently it didn't sap a drop of her strength!

"Gah! Air, AIR!" I gasped.

She let me go, and tilted her head, again. "Ku?"

I held up a hand, recovered a few breaths, then started up. "Right… let's just go find Tabitha. We need to come up with a cover story and fast." I explained.

Ah, the joys of teaching.

Shadow of Zero XVIII

I knocked on the door, and waited, while Irukuku started batting for my ears. I twitched. "Stop that."

"Kuu…" She reached out at touched at one again, despite my best efforts to dodge.

"Gah!" Pretty soon we were dashing through the narrow stretch of hallway, Elven grace, and shadow born stealth facing off against draconic strength and childish stubborn determination.

I didn't even notice when the door opened. It must have at some point because right when Irukuku succeeded in tackling me to the ground and pinning me by my overly long ears, a quite, yet utterly audible voice rung out.

"Slyphid." Both Irukuku and I turned to look at the source, well I tried, but had to settle for just looking out of the side of my eye.

Tabitha was wearing a night gown, a simple, little, light blue number that by the sheen was most likely silk.

It didn't stop her from being more then slightly intimidating with staff and book in hand. "Explain." She demanded in perfectly emotionless monotone.

"Ah…" I tried to rise, grunted, then looked back up at the dragon who had frozen in place above me. "Irukuku if you would?" I asked drily.

"Eeeps!" she jumped off of me. "Big sister, kuu… I was just Kuu…" she bit at her lower lip and rubbed a foot into the ground like a scolded five year old.

Was she really as old as she looked? Perhaps she had just adopted a elder form to move around?

I sat up. "Irukuku decided that she needed a visit." I explained. "She ambushed me while I was helping in the kitchens… though fortunately she thought ahead enough to put on a human disguise." I didn't add that she had done so sans clothing… really I should, the rumors would spread and she'd find out eventfully.

Irukuku beamed at the praise. "Ku!"

"I explained I met her last night." I continued unhindered. "That she was visiting someone in the castle." I looked at her pointedly. "And that her name was Irukuku…"

Tabitha's eyes narrowed just an inch at that.

I held up a hand defensively. "What was I supposed to call her?" I defended. "I couldn't very well call her Slyphid. Not in a room full of the castles servants. I explained away her behavior as a spell gone wrong, and did my best for damage control. Now all we need to do is go along with the act, and claim she is some distant friend or relative."

"Big sister!" Irukuku recommended as she bounced right over to Tabitha. "Can I please ku? I'll walk around like a human, just like this." She demonstrated by pacing back and forth, with a _very_ serious look to her face.

The smaller bluenet seemed to consider it. And looked at me sharply. "Teach?"

I nodded slowly, getting the just of it. "I'll spend the night explaining to her the basics of mortal culture… it shouldn't take long to get her to seem like a simple eccentric." I looked at the now excitedly bouncing form of Irukuku and held up my hand sharply. "The Night. You still have to go back for now Irukuku." I told her firmly.

Tabitha seemed to accept this compromise. "Supervised." She added pointedly.

I raised an eyebrow. "You'll have classes still." I reminded her. "Are you sure your willing to give up the time?"

She nodded, and looked back to her book.

I sighed. Fair enough. "Alright then, we have a plan. We can hammer out a good back story for her later. Right now I need to go check up on Louise and help her get to class." I would have to find some time to rest in the afternoon it seemed.

Tabitha nodded, and motioned for Irukuku to return with her into her room.

"Bye byes!" the bubbly dragoness waved as she was half lead, half dragged into her 'big sisters' room.

I sighed, and yawned again, gods damn it… well at least that was one arrow dodged. I eyed the shadows cast in the hall, still a bit of time before Louise should wake up. Well thank the gods for small mercies.

I swung back to the kitchens. Finding that things had calmed down notably. Slipping back in, I stepped back into the light a good distance from everyone as to not shock them so bad. I had my guilty pleasures here and there, but even I knew when to draw the line. "I miss anything?" I questioned as I slipped back to my spot with the dishes, Siesta wad making good progress, but wouldn't look me in the eye.

"Nothing much." The big guy stated. "Any luck with the noble?"

I nodded. "Found easily enough, it's a good thing I know a few tricks about tracking though." I added smoothly. Let them think I had to hunt her down from a trail, that I was mostly detached from the matter.

Siesta made an indignant sound.

"A Tracker? Maybe you could hunt us down a deer for the evening meal?" The larger man laughed.

I considered it… hunting would be a nice escape from everything, it wouldn't take me all that long if I did it after nightfall ether… I pursed my lips and slowed my pace for a moment. "Well… I'd have to clear the time with my master. Most of my spare time's going to teaching at the moment, but I could probably deliver something by morning. Do you have some way of preserving the meat?"

His eyes flashed at that, apparently there was actual desire behind the request. "Ah! Well we have a cold box. If nothing else we could always salt it."

I nodded. "Alright then… I keep late hours however, mayhaps in the morning." I rubbed my hairless chin. That was one thing that always bugged me about morphing elves, no facial hair to stroke maniacally.

He grinned widely. "We'll then, we'll keep a table open for you." He stated with a respectful nod of the head.

Finishing off the last dish of the load, I dried off and threw together some eggs in a pan, whipping up a quick omelet with mushrooms, onions, and cheese for my master, at the same time cutting a quick dry beef on a bun for myself.

Stealing some tea, I was back off to my master's room to deliver her breakfast in bed, taking care while moving the whole thing at a brisk pace.

It would be time for class soon after all.

Shadow of Zero XIX

Louise was still sleeping by the time I arrived, though by her breathing pattern she wouldn't be for much longer. Her face was twisted in a look of distress, and I had to fight down the uge to wake her up and find out what was wrong.

My I was getting quite paternal as of late wasn't I?

Setting down the tray I did just that. "Master." I shook her shoulder lightly.

She made a sound, but did not fully awaken, so I grunted and shook her a little harder. "Master!" I stated harder.

Still nothing. Louise was apparently a heavy sleeper at times.

I considered my options. I could keep trying, administer a mild electric shock, hunt down some smelling salts… or.

My grin wasn't TOO evil. I worked hard to avoid the darkside! Really I did! I mean I wasn't a paladin or anything, but I was far from being a moral black hole.

"[b]Shadow Conjuration![/b]" I invoked the spell, and shaped it. The shadow stuff pored easily for me, a mixture of innate affinity, and long practice with what was easily one of my most versatile spells. I took the semi real illusion and reshaped it into one of the most basic clerical spells I knew of, scaling back the effect drastically from its maximum potential.

The spell itself? Create water.

Louise shot up with a gasp as roughly enough water to fill a large glass, or small mug fell directly onto her face, pure cold and crisp. She let out a shriek and her head swiveled around in alarm.

"Good morning master!" I chimed happily… ok… maybe the smile was a _little_ evil.

It took a few moments for her to register what was happening, but when it did, she reacted in the manner I was coming to expect of the women of this land.

"Familiar!" She roared. Arm lashing out for her wand.

I disarmed her before it was even up and pointed. "Yes master?" I asked. "Oh! I brought you breakfast!" I grabbed the tray with my free hand, bringing it out into her view.

"Breakfast?" she asked, mind still a mix of left over fear, shock, anger, and complete and utter confusion.

"A simple omelet I fear." I said with some sadness, "I've seasoned it as best I could, and added a side of sliced fruit and bread." I set the tray before her. "That lovely black tea you like as well."

"Blueberry." She commented, blinking and wiping some of the excess moisture on her face, surprised to find it to be far less then she thought.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Is it now? That's interesting… the local breed tastes far different to what I normally associate with it." I'd have to steal the recipe later, it really was quite fine.

"Yes… why am I eating in my room rather than in the hall?" she questioned apparently willing to drop the awakening to simply get answers out of me.

Excellent…

"I thought you might wish to discuss the events of last night first and foremost…" I said with minor expressed confusion.

An expression she mirrored for a moment, before her eyes widened dramatically. "Last night!" she said suddenly. "You! Lightning? Magic!"

Apparently finding resolution I nodded properly. "Yes, last night you used your magic to conjure lightning."

"It wasn't a dream." She seemed near tears. What was it that she _had_ dreamt last night, I wondered. To provoke such a reaction from her? She reached for her wand. "Can… can I try it again?"

I slapped away her hand, and my face resolved into a stern mask. "No. Not here, not now. One false move and you'll set the room alight." I shook my head, and then eased it. "Control, Louise. You called Lightning." I said a small manic grin coming across my face as I said it. "True lightning! Heaven's wrath personified. But the moment you concentration wavered, you lost all hold of it." My expression shifted to the morose, and I shook my head. "It's too dangerous as things are. Too much power to wield without care. The stories I could tell…" poor poor Jono… I wondered, did you still have the scars from what I taught you? You had wished to keep them at first, a reminded of caution needed when dealing with such primal forces.

A surge of something deep within me, Louise would need no such reminder. I would drive this lesson down hard into her very being if I must!

Some of that must have come across my face for Louise shrunk back into her bed under the effects of my aura of terror. I eased it away. "Lightning is not like fire Louise. It is swift, merciless. Flames will burn a man to ash, hungry enough to consume anything in their path, but lightning's very touch is death!" She needed to know the scale of the danger. "Fire could cost you your flesh, maybe a limb, your sight." I described reaching out and touching her hand, then arm, flashing across her face, the sharp points of my nails dragging small unbleeding scratches across her skin. "Fire will scar you if you lose control, maybe cripple, possibly kill." I trailed off. "Lightning… all it takes is the slightest touch… Give it the slightest connection for it to enter your body, then it would be over." I shook my head. "This is magic on another level then what you are used to Louise. It is a magic born and refined on an endless battlefield, a magic to protect, cure, and kill, swiftly and without hesitation." My eyes flashed.

She shivered from her spot, frozen, she pulled her arm from my grasp, and looked to the wand like it was a viper. "T-then why?" she asked. "Why teach me?"

I calmed… good the fear had taken hold, it would teach well the lesson of caution. "Because it is what you are suited to." I stated plainly, shifting back to indifference. "I will teach you more constructive magic in time, but to do so you must first understand your power and the danger's there in. You must learn to control it. Though you are new to magic I can already name your discipline. You are an Evoker. One who wields power over energy. In time I will teach you other disciplines, conjuration, illusion, divination, abjuration," I listed them off one by one absently. "But at your core you will always be a mistress of Evocation. A lady of power, one who destroys… or protects." I reminded her. "Though this land is more passive then my own, you hold your wars. There may come a time you need such dread strength."

She nodded slowly, and then reached for her wand.

I gave it to her.

I looked tired… gods I Felt tired. Since I had arrived here it had been one thing after another, and by my own nature and will I had become drawn out unto a web of danger and intrigue. Why did I do this? What prompted such action in me?

I looked at her face, scared, but determined. I had failed my mission it seems… she had scared. It was simply not a physical one. I had ripped some of her innocence from her, and lords and ladies help me I would do so again and again before this apprenticeship was through.

I touched her plate. "Eat your food. If you leave it out like this it will swiftly grow cold." The scold was slight, and she nodded obediently, picking up fork.

I simply watched her for a moment, familiar and master, teacher and student, sitting there at the edge of her bed.

I smiled and rubbed the top of her head, earning an indignant look. "You have talent little master." I informed her. "It's hard now, but it'll be easier. There's a spark of greatness in you I think. You'll make me proud." I stated it as fact.

She flushed, and looked down at her meal. "Stupid familiar." she muttered between bites.

Pouring a glass of tea for myself I sipped it back, breaking down the flavors in hunt for the illusive blueberry tartness that I had apparently missed last time.

Yes… it would be hard at first. But there was some greatness there. Some… potential.

I would see it through.

Shadow of Zero XX

The halls were far busier this time around; I had never seen them quite as full… then again I had only really been here for three days now. I had to admit I was curious as to how things would play out around here. I was drawing looks, a lot of them, but it was less surprise and fear, and more… wariness.

Louise walked with a new confidence. Vivified by both her successful summoning, and on finally finding a way past the roadblock that had held her back so long.

I felt a slight surge of pride in that, confidence was vital for any mage, tempered with caution yes, but you needed to believe in both yourself and your magic to really get anywhere.

The trick really was balancing the two. That was a struggle that held true for most magi well into their later life.

Idly I considered the various options for 'buying time' that could be used on a mortal caster. Louise was only human after all, eighty or so years may not be sufficient to see the full potential of a sorcerer trained void user.

I shelved the thought. On that front at least I had plenty of time. It wouldn't start to be an issue for over half a century yet.

Thought she might want to preserve the strength and agility of a younger body…

Bah, it wasn't like there were not ways to regress ageing if it came down to it. Nor to strengthen ones form.

That redhead I had frightened the pants off earlier was there, as was the familiar slight form of Tabitha. The two were conversing, and tired as I was, I couldn't quite bring myself to take the effort to listen in. I trusted the wind mage to help support our mutual interests in keeping my nature and identify ambiguous. If nothing else, she would keep her words on the details short.

My master narrowed her eyes at the gold eyed girl's curvy form, and she clenched her hand tight, making slight reflective motions for her wand.

A curious action. Hostility between my charge and this friend of my… friend? Fellow caretaker/teacher of Irukuku? I really would have to better define my relationship with the small spectacled girl, and by extension the tanned young woman as well.

A teacher entered the room, a brown haired woman with forest green eyes. Her uniform was new, fresh, and not quite as well fitted as it could be. She surveyed the student body and made note over every individual. I saw a flicker of fear as her eyes met my own. I gave my best assuring smile as she did, and that for once, seemed to actually offer some relief. She carried herself as an experienced educator, and indeed seemed to be in her mid to late thirties.

A new teacher? Curious.

"Good morning class." She began, her voice wasn't particularly lovely, or harsh, she seemed to have managed a good balance as a approachable authority figure, just a little bit intimidating, but still personable enough. "Most of you do not know me. You may address me as Mrs. Chevreuse." She instructed.

I could learn from this one, I sensed, and forced back the tired portions of my mind. It was time to see what this world had to offer first hand.

"Earth magic." She began. "Is the very foundation of our society." She stated, a slight quirk of the lips showing that the pun had likely been intentional. "Though not as flashy as fire or water magic, it is just as versatile as wind, and a necessary skill set on every level of our culture." She continued the lecture. "Earth magic shapes the buildings that we live in, it helps grow and harvest the crops that we eat, makes channels for the water that we drink." Now that had me interested, growing crops? Perhaps a more mineral take on the water based healing techniques, one designed to encourage growth, rather than repair softer tissues?

She continued. "Certainly such things are accomplishable without magic, but with it, building in general becomes far more efficient. With an Earth mage, a farm can produce ten times as much crops as without, buildings can be made from boulders, and cities made within days." She raised the high points of what I strongly suspected to be her personal element.

"It is of course, also used in mining, and in times of strife, simply producing the rare metals so needed for fine wares." She explained, and with a motion of her staff formed an orb of reddish clay to float near the top.

The ease of the conjuration surprised me. Tapping into my internal well of power I traced a line over my eye and muttered a word. "**Detect Magic.**" my senses lit up beyond the normal spectrum, the minor cantrip. I studied the remains of the spell, the magic that went into animating it, and most of all, into the orb myself.

That was not magic forged material! It wasn't a pseudo stuff that would fade back to energy in time. She had called forth true real red clay.

How! Had she drawn particles from the air? Summoned it from deep within the earth or some other location? Had she actually invested the massive energy to simple create permanent material from nothing but shear power? Magic was flexible with such things… maybe she had tapped into the elemental plane of earth directly?

Now that was a thought. All mages manipulated 'grains' what limited them to a single element? Something else was obviously in play rather than simple matter manipulation.

I was interrupted from my thoughts as she continued to explain.

"My Runic name is Chevreuse of the Red Clay." She informed Dryly. "And while it may not seem all that impressive in and of itself. You will find with enough skill, an earth mage can make gold all but fall right into her fingers."

A flash of power, and the orb contracted in and on itself, I would call it sloppy, but again the result was a true one, not temporary. An orb of pure brass, which my natural draconic insight weighed in at around the value of a good amount of silver coins, maybe a gold piece in the right market.

The natural impulse to horde all but screamed within my head 'We must learn this! We must learn this NOW!'

"It's not true gold of course." She explained. "That would take a Square mage. I am only a triangle."

They could make GOLD!

I'm pretty sure at this point I had some kind of seizure, I don't really recall to much beyond it for several minutes. Gold… real permanent gold. Real Permanent Glorious Gold.

From a spell. From magic.

I damned near fell to my knees and promised a church to Bahamut, Io, and any other deity that could perhaps be involved in sending me to this wondrous, wondrous, place.

I also damned near burst out of my seat to crow a take that at all my fellows who had looked down upon me for 'wasting' so much time learning the arcane arts to the level that I had.

I'm actually rather certain at this point that it was in fact the conflict between these two actions that held me in place.

I was going to learn this spell, yes, yes indeed I was.

I snapped out of my happy coma just in time for Mrs. Goldmi- I mean Mrs. Chevreuse to call down my master to go transfigure a small pebble into something else.

I blinked at that, as she looked to me for response. I considered the options. On one hand the spell was small, harmless, on the other, Louise was not.

Well yes she was small, but harmless she was not. We had identified her problem, not fixed it. If she tried to break apart atomic structures without really understanding what she was doing… well…

No I did not want to test my personal toughness against an atomic detonation, even a very very tiny one.

But I couldn't very well tell her to refuse the request of a teacher…

"Do what you originally did." I whispered to her. "Keep it small, tiny as you can. It's ok if you fail this one now, we can make it up when we get to fire." Give me a few days and we would have more than enough time to refine a small lighting tick or two that could do most of the jobs a fire spell could. I was sure on that.

She looked at me silently begging for another answer, eyes flickering to the redhead.

I shook my head slightly. "It's hard now…"

"But it'll pay off later on." She continued, and slumped her shoulders in resignation. "Alright."

"Ms. Vallière? If you would come down now." The Earth mage requested again.

Rising up, with as much dignity as she could manage. My tiny Master marched down to meet her fate once more.

I would be waiting, no matter the results.


	3. To Find Yourself, To Look To Others

To Find Yourself, To Look To Others.

Shadow of Zero XXI

She stepped down approaching the front desk, and all the nearby students promptly sot cover.

"Give it a try dear." The elder woman encouraged. Sadly she honestly did seem to be hopeful that my student would succeed at making the small pebble into something else.

Louise scrunched up her face in determination, and then bore her eyes into the rock with concentration.

It was at about that time I realized she was going to throw my advice out the window and decided to emulate the example of my peers.

Still I gazed out from my spot of cover, to see the results.

The pebble shook, distorting, then collapsing inward in a manner that seemed vaguely familiar before it suddenly and violently exploded outwards.

Fortunately a tiny simple limestone pebble didn't have much mass to react with, and the dust cloud that kicked up in response was minor, with no real shockwave worth note.

Coughing slightly I rose back up to my seat and prepared a scolding look to my face when I saw it.

It was tiny, just a little thing on the desk, no bigger than thumbtack and well shed of at least half its initial mass.

It was a lump of iron… half molten, lopsided, and riddled with imperfections made up of the original element, but she had actually managed to do it!

I swore if I hadn't been so utterly pissed at the girl I'd have been swelling with pride.

Unfortunately that was not the case.

Mrs. Chevreuse coughed into her hand, waving her hand and staff to help disperse the smoke. "Oh my… I'm sor- oh, what's this now?"

I watched as she reached down and scooped up, the small half iron nugget, carefully in what was mostly likely a fire resistant cloth "Hum, not a complete transformation, but definitely some change." She waved her staff over it, and the misshapen thing began levitating. "Yes… yes! An excellent first try!" she beamed down at the surprised and shocked Louise. "Full marks!"

"No way." The unknown stated… for the sake of conveyance I was just going to term here 'Red' for now. "Zero actually cast a spell?" she asked in shock.

"I did it?" My naughty little master exclaimed with a Lot more shock then I expected. She looked back at me in and seemed confused.

Hadn't she intended that? I would have expected defiant glee at having accomplished a spell I told her she could not do.

All that was on her face was confusion, and maybe, a small trace of fear.

Could it be a false mask? An act to prevent the provocation of my wrath? Unlikely, Louise was still young, she hadn't yet gained the incite to read people's behavior, much less throw up an appropriate act to manipulate them.

To be frank, she was just no good at lying. That meant she hadn't intended to perform the spell that way… and that meant she passably had lost some conscious control on her magic, or at least some subconscious block that regulated what she could or could not manipulate with it.

This… was not good.

I gave her a concerned yet controlled look, and nodded slightly. We would deal with this later.

"Would you like to take another try?" Mrs. Chevreuse asked kindly, she had apparently heard of my master's reputation. She formed another clay orb, though I was a little too distracted to memorize the mechanics of the spell in detail.

Louise looked to me, and I gave a slight shake of my head.

"N-no thank you." She replied, seeming a bit shaken up.

The new teacher looked to Louise and seemed concerned for a moment; there had been no missing the byplay between us, nor the storm of mutters and whispers that had begun among the students. I caught bits, pieces, and noted Tabitha's sharp gaze. People were beginning to suspect my involvement, not seriously, but enough to plant a seed.

My teachings were not yet ready to be spread to the open. It would jeopardize so much, I wasn't ready yet.

Damage control… how? Damn it. Maybe step back on my operations?

No… these things had a tendency to fester. Despite the risk it would be best actually if I stepped things up. For my longer termed plans, I needed ether credibility, or as a backup force of arms. As things stood I had nether.

But I knew how to get both.

"Alright Ms. Vallière." The teacher allowed, and gave me a small smirk. She suspected, no, she Knew. But I didn't think she knew the scale. Disinformation! Why didn't I think of that? It would by me months, maybe years if I did it right.

Hah, score one for team deception!

…Man I really needed to work on my anti darkside regiment. Karma could be a utter bitch at times and I had no intent of getting on the wrong side of a lance any time soon.

Gods damned overzealous marsh loving horsemen…

I fought down the shiver successfully.

Louise quietly made her way to her seat, and took it, leaning back once the number of eyes observing had fallen. "I didn't mean to do that!" she whispered/hissed quickly.

"I know." I replied in a low tone, my voice hollow rather than her own sharp whisper. The human ear had more difficulty differentiating low tones to high ones, with the gossip storm stirred up I had ideal white noise to work with.

"You know?" she asked eyebrow raised skeptic at my statement.

I nodded. "Your reaction. I mean this in the best possible way master, but you're as easy to read as a book." Hopefully the little give would goad her into improving her bluffing skills.

She shot a look at me for that, but I held my expression. "What were you concentrating on when you cast?" I asked.

"Keep it small." She stated, "Don't make too big of an explosion, just put in a little power."

"And how did it Feel?" I asked her further.

She flushed a little, looking down. "I… I just took hold of it, and tried to move them only a little." She explained.

I nodded slowly. "So the transmuting itself was subconscious? You didn't think of it at all?"

"Well…" she was more than a little pink at that point, and I didn't mean her hair.

I relaxed a bit. Good, even if unintentional the magic itself was still under her control, it was simply that her thoughts themselves wasn't under her control. An easy if somewhat taxing fix, concentration exercises. I was going to start her on them regardless tonight. "It's alright… still we should try and work out what spells you're going to be taught in advanced, so we can refine your control some. Just keep the power low, and we'll get you up to speed soon enough." I gave her my best proud smile. "Until then, you did it!" I grinned wide, "First lightning, now earth, that makes you a line mage now doesn't it?" I asked her slyly.

Her eyes shot open at that. Bulging at the unexpected reaction. "What?" she blinked a few times.

"Transmutation, Evocation." I reminded her. "Two disciplines you've started into now. Perhaps not a very skilled one yet, but most definitely a line mage." I stated with a nod, cupping my chin, and again lamenting the lack of a nice spiny goatee.

She blushed again, but this time with a bit of pride. "I… yes.. yes it is." She gave me a grateful smile.

I nodded it off, and looked back to the front of the class. This was an interesting lesson after all. "Remember, to take down your notes." I reminded her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I almost missed 'Red's' curious look in our direction. Almost missed the sly smile forming on her own face.

Yes I almost missed it.

But I didn't.

"Trouble…" I muttered under by breath. The only question now was, what kind?

Shadow of Zero XXII

There had been several more demonstrations of both conjuration and transmutation, after my master's. All of which, now distraction free, I had observed and noted. A blond boy who reminded me far too much of some of the more arrogant elves, had proven rather skilled in both, more so then the majority of his classmates. Fortunately he was also a showboat, drawing out his spells, and doing his best to add 'style' to his spell work.

I got style I really did. Elegance and grace could add a great deal of efficiency to ones spells, the psychological aspects as well could be of tremendous use both to intimidate, and to bolster one's own confidence.

Well when it worked, anyway.

Compared to century old Elven spellswords, brutally animalistic druid barbarians, and mercilessly sadistic drow spider-clerics however… his little added swishes were rather… sloppy.

He wasted movements on drama. Rather than letting the power build with greater force, he only slowed his own spell with the grandiose movements, actually leaking much of the energy he sot to use. He held his posture to provide a more clear visual impression rather than to actually fortify his position, and actually attached pointless overly poetic speeches to his incantations…

Frankly if I had been the boy's teacher, I would have smacked him across the head, and forced drills unto him until he was totally depleted of willpower. Make him _know_ the price of such wastefulness. He had talent, the potential for greatness, but he was wasting it showboating as he was.

The delay in casting however did give _me_ the opening I needed to largely deconstruct the spell work being taught. It would take time to dabble out the fine details, but I believed I could at the least master the basics within the next week.

Hopefully doing so before my Master was once again forced to try and freeform craft true material items!

True conjuration as a beginner's lesson? Utter madness!

There were so many slight oddities to the magic of this world… I was relishing in the opportunity as much as I lamented my own ignorance in their methods. I doubted I could fully replicate the spells they used themselves, but spellcraft was far from an unknown skill to me, and I had no doubt I could make my own versions given opportunity.

When the class ended we rose. Our seating was in the middle of large stepped, group table. The sort commonly used for lectures and performances. It was also the kind, as many with personal experience could attest, that required a great deal of patience, in order to exit from.

We waited for our neighbors to get up and sort themselves from our row, out unto the narrowest stairway, which itself was being flooded by other rows, making the entire thing, one big nice neat mess.

Eventfully, several minutes later we found ourselves outside. I considered just directing my master to a good secluded corner so I could 'hop' us the rest of the way, but disregarded it. I still did not know if this castle had any warding against transportation magic, and I could only pull that trick off so many times a day… it was a handy ace in the whole.

'Red' was waiting for us at the hem of the staircase, unseen through the wall. I slipped into a slightly more guarded posture as we approached, tapping Louise's arm. "Let me take the lead." I spoke softly to her.

Odds are it was a simple childish despite. Something more serious was not likely to be carried out in such a public place, but I still knew not the rules of this land in detail, and there had been a great number of duels in the history books I read… My Master had just proven she had true potential, an old rival who once was happy to simply mock her may now consider her a true potential threat.

When we reached the entrance to the main hallway, 'Red's' eyes met my own, simmering haughty gold, clashing into burning focused red.

I said nothing, I made no aggressive posture, I didn't even linger, I met those oh so surprised eyes…

And unleashed my aura of terror.

Dragons were terrifying creatures. My kin and I inspired dread in many for a number of reasons, we were immortal beasts, were most creatures grew frail in time, we only ever grew stronger. We were large, fast, our senses, keen, and our wit sharp. An arsenal of weapons, both material and mystic was built into our forms, our blood carrying the memories of countless battles to their use.

But it was not that power that had filled men with dread. Men could slay us, ether with numbers, or with the few individuals who held enough skill.

No the thing that held us as the creatures of nightmares was the fear itself that we inspired. Those few few broken survivors to the battles that we waged, even the victors walked away chilled, only those most loved by their gods, so utterly sure of the fate of their souls, could walk away untouched by the miasmatic aura of absolute horror that we could unleash.

It was hard to explain it really. As a human child I had once encountered an untamed dog, a creature that out massed me, bore claw and fang were I did not, and shattered my will with barks loud enough I thought my ears would burst. I image that the fear was something like that. A sort of sudden sharp dread, instantaneous realization that the thing you were staring down could and would slay you as easily as not. That you were helpless, that none could protect you, that the moment those teeth touched your flesh you would only be waiting, hoping, for the end.

I had seen armies driven to sobbing wrecks by elder wyrms. Aged, experienced men, brought to their knees in sudden despair, broken before they had even entered reach of their opponent.

'Red' was a caster, likely a strong one by the way she seemed to all but ooze confidence. She didn't break in the face of the diminished aura. If she had gathered with the others for my little 'light show' I wager she would have remained standing as the mistress Tabitha had.

But that did not mean she was unaffected.

Her lips froze, pupils contracted to points, and her entire body shook as I held those eyes, not breaking stride. Her familiar whimpered and hid behind her legs, it's form ridged and the proud cresting fringe around its neck puffed out to full width as it backed away.

I broke contact, and both my Master and I continued walking past the frozen figure.

And then I stopped as I encountered blue eyes just as cold as my own.

Louise bumped into me, and I grunted to keep balance, I pulled at the warmth still within me, and let a tired smile cross my face. "Hello Tabitha." I greeted.

"You." She stated in the tone she always did, eyes flicking down to her book.

"Me." I completed the small ritual greeting.

She then did something I had never seen her do before. She spoke a complete sentence. "We need to talk." She stated in the same monotone she always did.

Shadow of Zero XXIII

"Master?" I asked quietly, and looked back.

Louise frowned at me. "Familiar…" she said a little uncertainly. I think she wanted me for something, hence the haste to return to her room.

"I will not be long." I offered, glancing to Tabitha for confirmation.

She nodded. "Minutes." She explained.

My little Master focused in on herself, waging an internal debate over priority. She sighed, and looked at me, not truly upset, but not happy ether. "This is going to be a regular thing with you isn't it?" She asked.

I gave a sheepish grin of my own and scratched at the back of my head. "I'm thinking maybe yes?" I dropped the embarrassed look and took things seriously. "You know I'll always be there when you need me."

A spark of something hit behind her eyes. She considered telling me she needed me right then… or all the time, or something to that note.

At least that was my guess, I never did find the details on it, namely as she didn't say whatever it was she was considering.

"Well we agreed you could have your own projects." She stated grudgingly. "But only a few minutes Familiar. I want you in my room before the end of the hour." She informed me as stern as she could.

I grinned at her. "Of course Master." I gave a slight bow. "Ms. Tabitha?" I requested of the stern bluenet.

She turned around and started down the hallway.

I fallowed… apparently she felt the need for more privacy then was available here.

She led me to one of the towers, an unused room that I couldn't quite identify the purpose of it, it was long, tall as the high roofed hallways all were, but else wise completely barren. An unused storage room perhaps?

She rounded and looked at me… well technically she was still reading the book, but I Felt her attention fall onto my form.

"Well." I started. "You wanted to talk? Let's talk." I stated, and considered posting sentries.

"Teaching." She said and pointed to me with her staff.

I blinked. "Yes, we already agreed on how I would help teach Iruk-"

"Not Slyphid." She narrowed down for me.

I raised an eyebrow, "You want lessons?" I asked, paranoia kicking into high gear.

She was not amused. It was hard to get a read off of her, but not impossible, she had a poker face like you wouldn't believe, but at the same time, there were small tells in her posture. Her breath and pulse, the little things the little things that almost anyone would miss.

She gave a more specific answer. "Louise."

I frowned, "I don't see your business in it, but yes. She is my Master, I am obligated to try and assist her where I can." I stated plainly.

She gave a slight downward twitch of the lips, only a millimeter, and only for a second, but it was there. Did Tabitha hold grudge to my master? If so Louise didn't seem to be in on it…

"Slyphid." She stated again. "Secret."

Ah… I understood, she was worried that if I would teach Louise magic I might teach her… other things.

I shook my head. "No. She doesn't know her secret, your secret… she doesn't even know mine yet." I mused. "I've been considering breaking the news of my own nature to her, but your secrets are not mine to tell." Unless I was sufficiently desperate, a man could be driven to do anything given the proper situation after all. It was a lesson I knew well.

She seemed to understand that… or at least except it. "Kirche." She moved onto the next topic.

"Kirche?" I asked, thrown for a bit of a loop. Who was 'Kirche?', I rattled my brain along the rather limited list of names known to this area.

Nope none. I shook my head in confusion. "I… am not sure who that is." I admitted.

This upset her. It upset her enough to openly frown, and display that displeasure to me. Her eyes shot up and the unvoiced command of 'Find Out.' Was sent. I lifted a hand. "Fine fine… I'll ask my master. What about Kirche?"

The frown shifted, and she looked back to her book. "Peace." She stated.

That could mean any number of things… Still I needed this odd relationship with the quite girl to work, for Irukuku's sake if none else. I wasn't about to let a fellow dragon as young as her, be left out to a world that had already brought her kin down to near extermination.

Tabitha was well meaning, but there was only so much a human could do for a young dragon. The lifespan issue alone… it was hard to be a parent to something that would take your entire lifetime to hit their equivalent of mid teens.

I was only barely an adult myself, and I was pushing a hundred and thirty. An adult my the local standard mind you, by the 'modern' rate of the human world of my first life, I couldn't even vote yet.

I had no idea how old Irukuku was, but I was betting around fifty. The start of a dragon's adolescence. She acted like a kid, but was old enough to instinctively use magic, so that put her in around the age of a juvenile.

Unless her family did what the silvers and golds did and taught their offspring shape shifting young.

I couldn't toss that idea out, but it didn't seem right, not an accurate match for what I had seen.

I nodded. "Just with me or my master?" I asked. My best guess on the subtle wording was that the blue haired mage wanted me to broker some sort of none aggression agreement with this 'Kirche'. I had some experience in the field. And despite the nature of our relationship Louise seemed to be deferring to my judgment on most things, likely seeing use in my greater experience. The difficulty would largely depend on this 'Kirche' themselves.

"You." She said eyes flickering up again. "Both… if you can." Another sentence… well a fragment technically, but still more words then she normally used.

She Was trying. I realized… it wasn't just flippancy, or a simple matter of efficiency. She was forcing out every word. Struggling in some internal war to communicate at all.

Maybe my sudden concern showed upon my face, because she locked down further, and what few tells I could read before became blank slate. "Hurry." She stated in monotone, more a bayed command then any plead.

I nodded. "I will." I offered switching to a more practiced relaxed tone. "You should go be with Slyphid for a while. Oh a small thing, that cloth I gave her earlier will fade in time, it's false material, an illusion." I let her know, giving her an opening to change topics.

She nodded, and instead simply made for the door.

I let her pass, face twisting into a grimace as she did.

Damn it, another one. I was a dragon blast it! I wasn't supposed to be helping Damsels…

Shadow of Zero XXIV

Now alone, I shifted gears… Louise needed my presence, and I had wasted more than enough time. I had vetoed the idea before but frankly… yeah, I was tired, annoyed, had a new self imposed mission on my plate, and _Louise Needed Me_.

I was about two hundred twenty, two hundred thirty yards from our room, well within range.

Shadows creeped across my form, pulling me into them and concealing me from view… then further.

All dragons had a few supernatural tricks in their arsenal, not spells, though most commanded true magic as well, but more… a sort of supernatural inherent ability, like how some snakes could see heat and others spit poison, or how cats land on their feet after even a short fall…

Or how humans could identify the intrinsic patterns of cause and effect.

The ability I was using let me 'hop' short distances instantly, teleport at a good range. Not exactly move anywhere instantly on the planet, but more than enough to give a sudden tactical advantage.

Or shave several minutes of navigating though bustling school hallways as it seemed.

The world went… weird. Like seeing everything fall into the distance in all directions from all directions simultaneously, in less time than it took to blink, then it crashed back in, different, my location now somewhere else, something near, but not quite the same as I was moments ago.

I tingled from that, and repressed a shiver… gods damn it, I don't care what in the nine hells people will tell you, once or a thousand times, you **never** really get used to teleporting. Ripping yourself from the anchor of your native plane and then flinging yourself through the alien realms, only to violently snap back, ripping brute force through various atmosphere/gravitational pull/laws of physics/states of being-s tended to give one a rather strong sense of disorientation.

And that was assuming you were lucky enough to only end up displacing Air…

You did 'get used to it' enough to not violently throw up from vertigo every time you did it, but the sensation never numbed.

I was still in shadows, the dark part of Louise's room, to the side of her large outfacing window. My bedroll, oh so inviting, lay in a lump to the side. My master sat on her own mattress kicking her feat and staring up at the ceiling.

I watched her for a moment, and felt some part of me relax… curious… I wondered if the feelings were natural, or some part of the familiar bond. I had not yet had much chance to look over our contract in detail yet, the way things were going odds dictated I would not be able to do so for some time. Idly I looked at the marking on my hand, Gandalfer, The left hand of god. What an odd thing to brand on someone. As a title it was a bit grandiose, and I had certainly not done anything to warrant it.

Well maybe that one… no.

I shook my head to clear it. Wariness was clawing at my mind it seemed. "Master?" I asked stepping into view.

She jumped. "Wha! How! I was watching the door for you!" she scowled.

I smirked slightly. "There are a great many tricks to magic Master, not all are as obvious as changing a stone to steel, or calling fire and lighting." I informed her. "You needed me for something?" I asked.

She gave me a sharp look, but ended it with a smile. "Yes… I wanted to talk more about magic." Interesting, magic, not your magic, or 'circle' magic. "You mentioned… eleven circles of magic?" she said a little confused. "then said there were only nine real ones?"

Ah, general education… well I suppose it was natural. She had found success in my teachings, praise in it, it was only natural she'd want more now that she'd had a taste.

"Right." I began, and then looked around for something to sit on. Hum, nothing really, did I want to waste the magic? No, I had enough of a headache from using my dimensional door ability moments ago, "Ok scooch over." I said and walked over for a seat.

She moved, and I popped down with all of the elegance of an elephant slumping down for a nap. "Right." I stated. "First you have to understand where the term circle comes from." I began. "With magic, both in my home realm, and here, spells all seem to have a sort of built in threshold of power to them. A sort of maximum amount of power that you can poor into the mold that forms the spell itself. You can overload them in one of several creative ways, but the results are always inefficient jumbles that never really match up to a spell custom tailored to work with that level of power." I explained. "Now a spell can use this power in several ways, though a simple sharp thrust of energy." I looked at her pointedly. "To a complex array of self supportive and diverse effect." I debated shadow conjuring something… but went against it. Too much effort and I was just too tired for upper level stuff. "It can build up this energy fast, quick but inefficiently, or drag out the casting, ensuring every drop of power go's to a purpose."

She listened with rapt attention, apparently this was ether something not yet covered in her classes, or alien to their spell system, regardless I continued.

"But they all have a glass ceiling just the same." I waved out. "A definite minimum and maximum level of ability. You just can't trigger a third circle spell with the power of a second. Not without some general trick that you can probably apply to a great number of spells. I've heard of a few, but that's the caster changing, not the spell itself. Likewise, even if you dumped enough willpower to fuel a ninth circle spell into a first circle spell, it'd not perform any better than normal. There are again tricks I've heard of that could give it a little boost, but all you'd really be doing is adding bits, remaking a weak spell into a strong one, and like most quick and messy improvisations, an inefficient one at that." I knew many of those tricks myself. They were graceless, costly, crude things… but well when life throws you an ogre, it was better to have a club on hand then a pocket knife.

"Along those lines, there are nine definite levels of spells in my school of magic. Nine glass ceilings one must break through to master every conventional spell that is known." I explained. "I can manage to the fifth reliably, though I am not quite ready to stab at the sixth. Likewise, the few spells I have for fifth circle are straining on me; I can only manage a set number a day without risk to myself, even if I had the raw willpower to fuel more. If I tried to cast too many, I'd fail at best, and backfire the whole thing at the worst." I recalled the first time I had attempted to brute force through my limit of spells I could use in one sitting; I had nearly killed myself with the resulting feedback.

Again some of my discomfort must have shown through, Louise seemed a mix of worried and grim at my listing of the limitations of 'circle' magic. From what I had read, the spells of this land held a simple cost and effect; they didn't overstrain the mage beyond the effort cost to actually cast them. My own school held more strict regulations. You could use your power to fuel numerous low level spells, but the higher in level they were, the more of a toil they cost the body to even channel them. A bit of rest and you could cast again sure, but overcastting was still a danger.

She pursued her lips. "Then… what level am I?" she asked.

"Third. Minimum, likely higher." I stated at once. "That lightning evocation you used was raw, unfocused, not a true spell, and not really useful. Likewise with the transmutation effort. Things like that can get you results, but not reliably, and not with any efficiency, they'll burn you out faster than you can imagine. But to manage something like that in even raw form, you'd need to at least be able to brake third circle, more likely fourth given the fact you did so without any real strain, and my real money would be far beyond even that. As rule of thumb, targeted summons can only call up things roughly three forth's your own power. Unguided summons can call up almost anything, but the binding aspect of a controlled summoning requires the caster to be able to out muscle any innate talent or resistance to magic." I explained.

"Then… I would be above fifth circle?" she asked, recalling my own limits.

I shrugged. "In power yes. I wouldn't try any spells I know of above that level. Evocation's rather simple magic, a good starter for someone with a lot of muscle but little skill." She bristled at that, but accepted the jibe. "Even they get more complex as things expand though, more elements used simultaneously, more finely controlled or intricately shaped effects. Also if you become completely dependent on keeping things simple, you might end up limiting your ability with more refined magic, like illusions, or conjuration." I was [b]not[/b] going to train up just another simple glass cannon. Louise would learn a diverse mix of spells, and she would like them. She could specialize if she felt like it, but I wouldn't allow her to cripple herself on just things that went boom.

She nodded at that "Alright, but you will be teaching me higher circle spells will you not?"

I shrugged. "I can teach you all I know, and help you develop more on your own. Don't worry about the higher level stuff for now. We need to master the basics before anything else. You might have the power to reach the stars, but it'll do you no good if you end up doing so in pieces." I poked her on the nose with a smirk.

She scowled again, "Fine fine… what are the other two then?" she asked.

I slipped back into 'lecture' mode easily enough. "The other two levels of magic are Not of conventional spells." I explained. "The first… well they are and are not normal spells, we call them cantrips, and they really are more along the lines of basic arcane tricks. There's no barrier at all to using them, and if you wanted, you could spend every drop of magic you had casting them and not feel any more strain then going on a brisk walk." I explained and flicked my hand a shower of muti colored sparks coming forth from them. "Simple things. Knowing them didn't even qualify you as an actual magus in my realm. I suppose you could call them the non circle magic."

She nodded, not at all distracted by the sparkles… which was a bit of a shame, as that really was one of my favorite tricks with prestidigitation. "And the other?"

"Ah." I started. "The other… would be tenth circle magic. Epic magic." I began in a sort of reverent yet fearful tone. "I said there were nine levels of conventional magic yes? Nine of mortal magic. Spells that held limits and requirements." I started.

She nodded slowly. I took a deep breath. "Well magic of the Tenth circle isn't quite the same. It has requirements yes, a minimum level of power to cast a level of power that most would never even witness in their lifetime… but there are no limits." I informed in a crisp tone. "With Epic magic men can call forth islands from the sea, or sink others back down to it's depths. They can call an entire flight of king serpents to slay their enemies, or reshape themselves permanently as one of their number."

I shook my head slowly recalling my memories. "Spells to create new life. Crafting True, insouled, fully intelligent beings. Spells to warp time and space, allowing one to reach into their own past, or future. Spells that can do _anything_ within your imagination, _anything_ within your power." My words were a dread whisper. "No… tenth circle magic is not mortal magic. Not really, to those who hold epic magic, reality is a plaything, to reshape, create, or destroy at a whim. It is the domain of godlings, or those who would become them." A thought occurred to me then. How much power truly would it take to summon and bind me? How much to inscribe runes like those on my hand? I don't know how it slipped my mind, but the summoning that had called me was targeted, not random, it had sot me out, called me, brought me forth, and once completed bound me. It had slipped past my recondition at the time, I had first assumed it just a random gate, but the final stage. The runes themselves, had bypassed by innate resistance to magic, my own well of power, my immortal fortitude and well trained willpower… What was my master I questioned, what kind of power would it take to accomplish such a feat?

How powerful exactly _was_ my little master? How strong would she become now that I began this path to her?

The experiment had changed… what would be the results now? What was I unleashing forth unto this world?

I didn't know. Fear warred with likely compulsion addled loyalty, and in the tired state of my mind I felt confusion build within me.

Was I doing the right thing?

Shadow of Zero XXV

I looked to my master, again she was shaken. The idea of such power.

"Regardless." I said at once. "I am only fifth circle, and primarily an illusionist and transmuter, not an evoker. I can teach you a number of tricks, but it'll be some time before you're at even my level, much less above it." I explained.

She scowled slightly at that, but her frame also sagged with relief. A front. Perhaps my master had more potential for deception then I originally suspected… Excellent.

I bit down on that feeling and rent at it. Definitely some sort of mind effecting aspect of this bond. A potent one too, subtler then I expected.

She frowned suddenly. "Illusions? Like that story you told before? Evocation, Conjuration, you speak as if they are all different things." She pursued her lips, despite how she had taken the earlier comments, she was still ready to push forward.

I nodded. "There are several widely excepted 'schools' of magic. Really they are just ways to define a particular type of spell. The spells themselves are all still simple shaped magic, there is no great divide between them outside of function, and to an extent methodology."

I tapped her want. "You are a natural at evocation, quick and dirty combat magic, there isn't much refinement to it, and by it's nature it's cast hard and fast, out of all the schools of magic isn't the most wasteful, but also by far one of the most useful. It's simplicity gives it speed, power, your not wasting time with some big construct, just shove all the power you need into the form of something that'll do what you need. Evokers are prized combatants, and a single skilled mage within the field can fell hundreds of regular troops, or even match an elder wyrm in raw destructive might."

She grimaced at that. "Honestly… I'm not sure how I feel about that." She admitted. "is destruction all it's good for?"

"You need to destroy to create." I reminded her. "Often you need force of arms to protect. Though there are a few none violent uses. Is there anything else you wanted to know about?"

She considered it, and I felt wariness start to crawl upon me once more. All these sudden shocks of adrenaline were giving me what I needed to remain awake, but they were also sapping my will, making me edgy, and I was certain I was missing things I would normally not.

Finally she nodded. "Alright… tell me about illusion." She asked.

I smirked. "Ah, buttering me up with my favorite subject? Well illusion's actually a tricky one, it has three real disciplines all it's own. The one's I've shown you mostly are basic glamers, figments of light and sound, true illusions that are nothing material, just bent light and occasionally sent. You can do taste and touch with them, but it's tricky, you're better off with phantasm's. Phantasms are illusions of the mind, a hallucination you can place upon another, but directed by yourself. Phantasms are the illusions most often used offensively, with the right knack, you can send someone into their wildest dreams… or their deepest waking nightmares." I grimaced at that. "I'm not much good at them myself. Figments come easily though, and as dose the last school. Shadow spells."

I paused at that. "Shadows blur the line. You can't do as much with them, there forms are more… limited. But the flip to that is that they are also more real. To form a shadow illusion you shape shadows themselves into forms, and in doing so make something that's not quite material, but not quite not. It blurs the line between illusion and other magic's. I've actually made a number of spells that utilize shadow magic, as it seems to be my strongest affinity."

That… confused her. "Not quite real, but not quite fake. What do you mean, how does something be not real, but real at the same."

I shrugged at that. "I'm not sure how to better explain it." I eyed her. "You… might do well with illusions. It's always tricky to tell with people. You certainly have the power to pull grand illusions, and I believe you to also possess the intelligence, the force of will to make things seem real. But it's like any other art, some people have a knack, others don't. No after we get hold of your evocation I'd like to move onto a related field. Conjuration."

She nodded. "Calling up earth like in class?"

"Similar… as odd as it sounds the methods of this world actually seem superior to my own." I admitted shamelessly "Most arcane creation in my world is temporary; magic pulled into a shape and bound to it for a limited bit of time, no more. The people here somehow actually call up true earth and steel. I'm not sure of the tradeoffs, yet though, and will have to study the subject in more depth before I determine what would be best for you."

She frowned at that, "Can't you just teach me the basics of your style?" she asked.

"I could." I said. "But it might not be for the best. You can pick up bad habits when learning magic, walking down one path makes it hard to walk another. I've been learning magic for over a hundred years, and I'm still only a fifth circle magus because I keep falling back to relearn the basics of other styles. It makes me a good teacher yes, I know more within my range of ability then most mages could ever claim, but if I had just focused on getting stronger, I could be seventh circle by now. Maybe eighth." I yawned.

She raised an eyebrow at that.

"Long night." I explained. "I was up reading most of it. Still need to catch up on the local history. Arcane theory's going fast, but I'm still behind." I gave an apologetic look. "I guess really, it comes down to one thing… what do you want with magic Louise? What do you need with it? Power? Recognition? Do you learn because you want to, or because you have to? I could make you the strongest mage in this land given time, but is that really what you want?"

I slumped a bit further back onto the mattress, throwing my arms back to support me… soft. Very soft in truth, you wouldn't expect it by structure of the place or the appearance, but this was a better mattress then I normally slept on.

"I… don't really know." Again she admitted, my questions had tugged at her. Gods she was still so young. This world was so spoiled. No horrors in the dark, no mad alchemists hunting you for your blood, or demons questing for your soul. So much power into one still so innocent. Would it corrupt her? Or would she use it nobly? Would she even strive to fully command it? Or unlock all of its potential?

I sunk a little lower. "It's fine… your still young." I stated, closing my eyes for a moment, just needed to rest them. The situation was… not as dire as it seemed. She had power, but so did a lot of others. Training her would help her get a handle on it; insure she didn't blow up some city by accident. "We have a lot of time to work out your goals, even more to work out how to accomplish them."

If nothing else there were countermeasures. Siesta would grow fast, I could feel it. Weather Louise went mad with power or chose to stagnate or forsake most of it; I could see to it that my other pupil would grow strong enough to fill the void.

Louse said something else, I didn't quite catch it, arms slumping slightly as I sank into the soft warmth of the blanket, mind wary of all its tasks.

Silence… then sounds.

Kirche. Forgot to ask about Kirche.

Didn't matter, could ask in the morning.

Tired… sleep.

Sleep.

Shadow of Zero XXVI

When my eyes opened, it was to the slight sound of the door opening.

Burgundy eyes tracked lazily out over towards the blob of pink and black slipping through the doorway. I made no real sound as the door shut behind her. Hum… what was she up to?

I felt for, more then looked at the position of the shadows out along the walls and floors, measuring the time past by it. Almost five. At least I hadn't overslept then.

Rising up, a rather nice, heavy comforter slipped off me, and I blinked down at myself. Ok, falling sleep, then being tucked in by my master at the edge of her own bed was rather embarrassing. Though it helped a bit with the moral debate I was still not entirely sure of.

Rising up, and renewing the magic that let me maintain this form again, I slipped out behind her, fallowing in shadows. Now just where was my little master going?

We walked down the halls, and I fell into step, noting the comings and goings. Not many people moving around at all at this time.

Louise seemed… nervous. She clutched at something hidden in front of her. It smelled of paper and fresh ink, a letter was my best guess… but to whom? And for what purpose?

We were around halfway down one of the branching hallways that connected the outer towers to the main, when we ran into trouble.

'Red'.

The curvaceous, golden eyed lass, was walking down the hallway opposite to my master. At once the urge to show myself and offer support surged up.

I crushed it down.

I needed to use this, to measure it. To get a feel of how my master reacted to stress without me to play guardsman… and to see how strong this geas was in how it affected me.

Louise froze. I heard her heart skip a beat, and her hands clenched in sudden fear/anxiety.

The urge to step in surged again, stronger. I beat it back and locked down on my emotions in general, delving into that empty detached place were none of them really registered. Logic came to the foreground and I began analyzing. Louise showed a mixture of shock, anger, triumph, and fear. The standard for anyone who had to face there bully after gaining a new advantage.

How would she act on it though?

Red was a little off balance, as well, though she hid it far better than my master, an almost perfect poker face.

Well almost perfect. She was anxious, curious, and cautious. Something had her ill at ease, and most definitely not ready for this in counter so soon after our last. Really, what was with this school that so many of the students could hide their emotions so well at the drop of a hat? It was like being back at Menzoberranzan, only with less outright backstabbing, and actual warm real smiles mixed in with all the cold fake ones.

"Ah, Louise." Red started, in a mocking tone. "Finally managed a spell, have we?" The jousting began.

"What do you want Kirche?" Louise all but spat.

Red alert! Subject has been identified! This… was not good. Kirche. Tabitha's Kirche. The one I was supposed to make friendly with, was apparently one of my master's bullies.

Oh this was just _Lovely_.

Well experiment over, now I just had to wait for the right opening to make my entrance.

"Just curious." Kirche replied, with the subtle tone of amusement, her confidence reasserting itself. "Never once have you managed even a marginal success, and suddenly your summoning elves, and transmuting iron… unless one perhaps lead to another?" She jibed.

Louise went on the defensive. I had never told her to keep our lessons secret, but with my hushed tones, and cautious mannerisms I seem to have more than implied it. "What do you mean by that?" She asked with false bravado.

Kirche wasn't falling for it, and a hint of a victorious smirk crossed the edge of her lips. "It's a nice trick, all in all. You make an explosion for cover, then he casts the spell. It would be difficulty at a range like that, but still more than enough to bolster 'Louise the Zero' wouldn't it?" she asked in a tone a pure mix of accusation and smugness.

It shot right over Louise's head. "What?" She asked, before her mind put two and two together. "You… you think I faked it!" She asked in disbelief.

That… actually surprised me too. I did not see that one coming. The question as now how to act on it?

"I'm really only curious as to how you keep an elf in your service. Do you pay it? Or perhaps there are… other ways you are keeping him on a leash." This time the implied insult was as obvious as day break.

Louise recoiled. "What!" Her eyes burnt. "How… how dare you!" she reached for her wand.

"Come now master… I'm not that poor a catch am I?" I asked stepping forth from the shadows, approaching the pink haired mage, and interrupting the fight. My eyes flickered to meet shocked gold ones, not even bothering to turn to face there owners. "And Kirche… I've hardly met you." I shook my head. "And already such a poor impression. Freezing like that, and then insulting my master in front of my face?" Tricky work here, supportive to Louise, with out to insulting, I needed the redhead knocked off balance, not enraged. "One would almost think you are intimidated." That should do it, I raised an eyebrow and openly smirked in amusement.

"Familiar!" My master called in shock. "What are you?"

"It's alright master." I interrupted her. "I know you wished me to rest. But I had an idea for our next magic lesson and thought I should take it up with you." I explained casually. Throwing such things to the open was anemia to me, but I could work with it. A lizard could shed their tail to stave off a predator, and I was more than willing to take such lessons to heart.

She blinked. "You did?" she asked.

Kirche seemed a little unbalanced by this, but recovered quickly. "Come now, you expect me to believe that you're Teaching her?" She asked, now addressing me.

I sighed. "Honestly I don't really care what you believe." Really more people should learn to lie with a straight face; I would grow board without competition. Almost regretfully I turned to face the slightly taller woman. "My master needed a teacher in magic's, and so the ritual summoned me." The familiar ritual of this land called a creature that both represented there master, and fulfilled their needs, this I had uncovered in my reading. "What has me curious… is your implication on the nature of our relationship. Was that a tinge of jealousy I detected in your voice?" I asked still playing up the sly rogue.

She blushed. Not much, just a tiny bit of color across the cheeks, but enough to tell me I hit paydirt.

I wasn't the only one to notice it. Louise grabbed my arm and stared down at Kirche. "Well was it? My familiar asked you a question Zerbst." She stated, rubbing it in a bit far.

Time for a bit of damage control. "Oh it's fine Master." I said politely. "It _has_ been some time since I've been in the company of a lovely young woman."

I caught some trouble for that, as Louise shot me an absolutely betrayed look, and Kirche recovered her footing. The redhead shot me an absolutely smoldering gaze, the same one I had known she would have since I first saw her. "Oh have you now?"

"Well enough that such things are flattering. I fear I'm rather busy as of late however." I shook my head. "I doubt I could give you the time a lady of nobility demands."

"Suffer hard under her then?" She asked sending a vicious look at Louise.

"He does not!" she shot back harshly, but shot me a worried look.

I shook my head. "Not at all. Louise has been a very kind master to me, far better than most I have served under. She has also been a most attentive student. Honestly I'm not sure what is wrong with the teachers here, that they could not find grasp in such great potential." The praise did seem to bolster her a bit.

It threw Kirche off her game again however, and she looked at me in confusion. "How then do you not have time? Am I simply not worth the effort?" she seemed almost… hurt, at that.

Again, the ball go's across the court. "No no, far from it, it's simply that this land is so strange to me. Your people haven't even heard of Drow Elves. The land, the history, the magic and the people. All of it is oh so new to me. I find myself struggling just to catch up." Hum, I was actually getting some real catharsis out of this.

A squeeze on my arm, and I looked down to Louise's bright pink eyes. A far brighter shade then my own burgundy red. I offered a smile. "I don't regret it. Really. This summoning was a gift to me. As strange as this land is… it is so much kinder then my own." Unless I remade it into the war torn ruin of my own homeland.

That wouldn't happen. The situation was different there. Different forces, different people. War of man against man was one thing; war against an entire world of mythic beasts and monsters was another.

Kirche… drew back a bit at that, a flash of guilt playing over her. I didn't look at her when it happened, didn't let her know I had seen that bit of vulnerability, before I turned my gaze back up at her and smiled my most charming grin. "Perhaps when I have some free time?" I asked her, looking back at Louise. "You don't need me looking after you all the time." I reminded with an affectionate poke on the nose. "Hopefully, including my arm." I added slyly.

It was let go with a snap, and both ladies were rather red.

"W-well then!" Kirche stated, regaining as much composure as she could, at the rather public affection. "I had best leave you to whatever it is you are after." She stated, and started quickly past us.

"Oh" She stated, and looked at me pointedly in lack of a title. "And as to your question… I'll consider it." She stated with an absolutely seductive look.

Dirty old man. Dirty, dirty old man. Well there just went my shot at a good afterlife, off to the special hell with me. I sighed. "So that was Kirche." I mused looking at Louise.

She nodded a bit quickly, still a little red in the face.

"I wonder what her story is." I mused, and then started down the hallway Louise had started, sparking my master back into action as she started up, and quickly retook the lead.

She scowled. "Who cares? And what was all that about her being a 'lovely young woman'?" she asked irritated.

"I'm in no hurry to make enemies. One of the easiest ways to complement a woman, is to let her know you find her attractive. It makes them think they have power over you." I explained.

She rolled her eyes. "I doubt that lesson will do me much good."

"It should." I stated warningly. "You will be a powerful sorceress in short time. Men will seek their way into your good graces vea such tactics." I frowned. "Perhaps we should have let the idea of us being lovers fester. It would at least intimidate such advances, with elves the dread figures they are here."

She gave me a smack on the shoulder for that. But never the less smiled as she turned her head.

Well this was off to a promising start.

Shadow of Zero XXVII

We walked down to the main tower, me back in my regular place slightly behind and to the side of Louise, ready to step in if anything should warrant my interference. "What is the story with you two anyway? I got the feeling that you have a bit of history." I started off.

She frowned. "We are traditional enemies." She explained. "The Vallière family has held a fierce rivalry with the Zerbsts since one of them ran away with a Vallière fiancée." She explained.

"Ah." I nodded. "This is a major offense then? Or more a minor insult." I questioned.

She pursued her lips. "Duels have been fought over less. But it has not come to blood. Mostly due to political issues. The Zerbst live in Germania, while we Vallière live here in Tristan. If we were to challenge them for satisfaction."

"You could elevate the levels of hostilities between both nations." I finished for her. "And my reading tells me Germania is a much larger, more militarily powerful nation." I summarized grimly.

She seemed annoyed at my interruption but allowed it. "Exactly. Treason in all but name. The Vallière are patriotic, as any noble family should be." She informed with a nod.

That brought back a memory of her quoting her mother. "Military?" I questioned her with a raised eyebrow.

She unexpectedly flushed. "Some." She looked down.

"Well it will not do for my master to have an enemy within arm's reach." I mused. "So we'll have to do something about this feud."

Her response was to snap to surprised indigence almost instantly, before rolling her eyes and sighing. "I shouldn't be surprised. Really I shouldn't." she stated.

I all but ignored the comment. "Right well with direct action vetoed, that leaves us two primary options." I explained, "The first is simple enough, we do as they did, and indirectly find satisfaction. This is rather petty however, and if anything may escalate further hostilities." I shook my head. "Not the ideal choice."

Seeing I would not be stopped by this Louise lent an ear. She frowned. "Then what is the second option?"

"Ah." I started hesitantly. "That one is… trickier. Though potently the more rewarding. We end the feud… by making peace between family's. Perhaps in time an alliance" I stated.

"An alliance." She deadpanned, then eyed me for a moment, then smacked the side of my head. "Are you mad!"

I winced, and rubbed at the side of my head. "Ouch… And no. Think of it more over the long view. We could gain reparations from them, eliminate the political risk, heck if anything it might strengthen Tristan's bond with Germania, helping Tristan's relation with its Neighbor."

She scowled. "That still doesn't explain how we regain satisfaction! Much less how you plan on actually doing this." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh that's simple." I explained. "Kirche herself." I started with a devilish smirk. "We turn her." I elaborated "Befriend, and coerce her to someone a little more your point of view." I gave a slight wave of my hand as I continued. "And then she go's in as our inside woman. Turning the general view of her family to one more sympathetic of the Vallière name. Make them See the value of trying to regain a place within your good graces, and with that a rush to make amends for any slight inflicted, and then some upon you." You didn't spend time among the Drow without learning how to play politics. Xanatos gambits were bread and butter of the underdark.

She frowned, picking at my logic in her head. "And how do we do that?"

"Kirche herself will be easy." I started. "She seems friendly enough, and by her behavior isn't really taking this grudge of yours seriously. Even without my assistance you could likely befriend her given time."

Louise looked a little sickened by that, but swallowed it. "Alright. And the reason they would want our good favor?"

"Your good favor." I specified. "Louise, at the moment, you are the only sorceress of my style of magic in the land. You must understand the value of that. While it's true that most magic I use can be replicated to some extend or another by the local disciplines, several things very likely cannot, and at the very least, you will be able to reach heights of raw power few, if any others here ever could. You will have several abilities no other noble will have. That puts your family in an unbelievably powerful position in a magiocrocy such as this. Half the reason I have been so secretive with your lessons is simply to prevent your potential assassination as a threat to the throne!"

She jerked back as if stung. "What! Never! I would never conspire against Her Majesty!"

Well that was a bit of a relief. I wasn't sure I was up to pulling off a coup. I nodded slowly. "But others might still view you as a threat. Hence why we are masking your new skill in magic as simply a more exotic take on the local branches. And why you will not be revealing any higher level spells I teach you unless absolutely necessary." I warned her. "If you want to throw around lightning once you've mastered it, which is fine. People will confuse it with some sort of strange fire." The two forms of energy were rather similar after all, more ignorance cultures often called them one and the same. "But nothing too far above square level, or to strange to the local magics." That would limit my own casting ability to an extent, but I was given a limited pass with the whole 'elf' thing. Still I would need to be cautious.

Louise wasn't happy again… oddly she was surprised. "Only Square? You think I can do square level magic?" she asked.

"Third circle." I reminded her. "That's near triangle rank, I remind you. It's not too far off your mark. I estimate you'll be capable of it in less than a year's time."

She was a bit stunned, I suppose it never really registered with her, just how powerful she really was in her own cultures terms.

She shook it free. "Well if I am hiding myself how do we use it?"

"Hiding for now." I corrected. "Given time, you'll be strong enough, and to well connected to just dispose of. Then you can make your full power known… until then, you can just use me." I offered. "I am not too dissimilar from the local elves. You can use the frightening reputation that they bare, as your own tool. You are my master. That by default, should give you no small amount of respect."

She mused on that. "That is true…" she commented. Then stopped by a large door at the end of the hall. "Alright. How do we start this?" she asked me.

I felt the grin tug at my lips. "Ah, my master, that is the easy part."

Shadow of Zero XXVIII

We entered a room with an intricate set of numbered boxes, set into the walls in rows upon rows. I could feel the magic of it, a slight taste really, not on par with some of the locations in the academy in potency maybe, but fresh. Louise immediately set out to one, tapping it with her wand.

I tilted my head as the box swung open. A personal lock box? Keyed to ether the wand or the mage who owned it? Expensive, but on second thought it had only seemed practical. This school was by and far one of the most prestigious, the children of many a political enemy would all be schooling here, and intercepted messages from parent to child could hold vital secrets. Well if it was in fact a mail room. It seemed best to confirm that.

"Sending a letter to your parents?" I guessed.

She paused. "Sister." She explained then sealed the door and gave it another tap.

"Ah." I stated fondly. "Older or younger?"

"Older." She gave me a slightly curious look, a bit defensive. Oh my poor master I must teach you to hide your emotions better.

I gave a knowing look. "Annoyingly intrusive, or smotheringly affectionate?" Siblings only ever existed to annoy, but they were also sometimes ones strongest bonds, and of the few people you could count on… if you were lucky enough.

I made room for my master to pass and she started back out into the hallway.

While she did so she gave me an answer. "I wouldn't say she is smothering… just…"

My look softened. "She cares a great deal about you." And it seemed my master was one of those lucky individuals.

She nodded, and seemed a bit saddened. "I worry about her. She is always in such terrible health." She informed me. It was in that resolved, yet utterly unhappy tone that only one who bore the suffering of another could use.

That… brought up something else in me. Bad health? I could help with that. "Is there nothing that the water mages can do?" I asked curiously.

"They do." She explained. "The sickness… well." She slumped her shoulders slightly.

That settled it.

"When is the next brake in school?" I questioned her.

"What?" Louise asked blinking as she looked at me.

"It occurs to me." I began. "I have not yet met your family. If I am to be working on a political agenda featuring them, it would be best if I did." I stated very seriously.

She watched me for a moment. "No." She said slowly, drawing out the word.

I blinked. "No?"

"No." she stated. "That's not why you want to go." She explained.

Ah fiddlesticks. I know that I was obvious there but I didn't think she would catch it. My master was many things, but skilled at verbal byplay was not one of them. Still it gave me a bit of hope that she was developing some skill in that field.

I looked at her, and then responded with a bit more honestly. "It is a reason I would find it useful to go."

"And the others?" She pressed, a passionate fire lit behind her eyes, almost a desperate one. I had seen that flame before. The last time it was in orbs a deeper shade but…

"I don't want to get your hopes up." I admitted, and almost gave the entire thing up then and there. With even that she could-

"You think you can help Cattleya!" She stated wide eyed.

I winced. "Maybe." I stated.

"Maybe." She repeated in a whisper. "Some spell?" she guessed. "Some strange magic from your homeland?"

I nodded. "We became very good at curing most diseases, it's normally a magic reserved for divine magic users, but- " she cut me off again.

"You know it." She said again, and then all but seized me by the lapels of my outer shirt. "Teach me." She ordered.

I placed both hands on her wrists, and gave a slight pull to have her free me. "It's not that easy." I began. "For one thing, the spell only cleanses the body of illness; it does not render one resistant or immune. If your sister simply has a frail constitution then she could become ill again."

Louise frowned, but bore her eyes into me with a searing intensity. Her hands did not budge an inch. "Then I will have to be there to cure it. Can you teach me."

I frowned. "Not easily." She made to protest and I cut her off. "The spell takes meticulous control, and elaborate knowledge of anatomy. There is reason why it's normally only used by those who call to higher powers to shape there spells. I could teach you it's use, but even with your talent it will take Years to develop to that level Louise." I think the use of her name was what seemed to snap her out of it.

She let me go. She seemed stiff of limb, likely feeling a bit numb from the sudden emotional roller coaster. "But you can help her?" she all but pleaded.

"In the short term." I started. "The long term… maybe. If all else fails… I know a few tricks." It would be costly, but I knew of a few things that could cover for such weaknesses. All carried the risk of dependence however, she would become reliant on my gift, and I do not believe Louise would wish such a thing for her sister if given any other option.

My master took a steadying breath, and came upon me with a sudden strength. Some indefinable presence welling from within. "How many years will it take to teach me this spell?" she asked of me firmly.

"At our current rate… five. Well more four, but that doesn't include typical allowances for chance." I gave her the rough estimate. I knew she had talent, that she had power, but you could only push so much on ether alone. Healing was the most difficult task for 'circle' magic. Few ever picked up the basics, and this was a third ranked spell of its own right. I myself only knew it do to its shear value in use, and the fact I had a biological 'cheat sheet' to help me learn such magics much more easily than most.

She scowled. "Unacceptable! What if I was to forgo training on the other parts? What if we spent more time each night?"

"Then it would take ten." I halted her in her tracks. "Learning other types of magic is a good way to learn control, if you give that up, then you'll lose a lot of practice. Likewise exhausting yourself will cost you more time. There's no rush. Cattleya has made it fine until now. When we next get a break, we'll see what I can do, then we can see from there what more must be done." Another task, but this one I would take without grief. If nothing else it might offer me a slight reprieve.

She scowled at that, "I could just take the next few days off." She stated.

"And the days after that?" I questioned. "You need to finish your schooling. I doubt your sister would want you to sacrifice your chance here for her sake."

Stubborn as a mule she put her foot down. "It's my choice."

"And My spell." I reminded her. "Sleep on it." I bayed her. "Think it over. The Day of Void is approaching soon, and I know a few tricks to move long distances fast. Wait until then at least."

She built up her fury at me for a moment, angered at my refusal. Frankly I saw where she was coming from. But I had to take the long view of this. "Just a few days." I stated. "Day of void, come hell or high water, if you bid me, I will take you to your home, and see to your sister. Until then Work." I stated giving her a poke on the nose. "We have much to do here. The plan with Kirche, your studies alongside my own. Be angry if you must, but I am your familiar. My duty is to you, not to your orders."

She growled slightly, "This isn't over." She let out warningly.

"I know." I responded honestly… "Come, let's go to the kitchen and get you something to eat. I think we've already missed dinner."

Though still upset she fallowed.

Now just what was it I felt I was forgetting?

Shadow of Zero XXIX

We were just walking through the door when I realized what I had been forgetting.

The Time.

Dark gray eyes, almost black in color, sot out my own and brightened for a moment, before a quick mask of indignant anger surfaced. "Mr. Moxt." Siesta bowed.

Louise almost stormed in behind me. "You know normal familiars would just go and get there master's food for them." She informed me.

Siesta looked shocked for a moment, and then turned from her to me, looking confused.

I gave her a slight nod, "Siesta." and then looked to Louise, "True, but I've been here for three days now. You enjoyed that omelet I made you, but I'm still not certain on your taste for things." I explained

She frowned, but accepted it, keeping herself drawn up. "Very well." My but she was hamming up the regal act here. Did she feel the need to empress the servants? She considered her choices.

"Might I recommend a personal favorite?" I offered. "It's known as a Chicken Caesar." I began. "Salad, with dressing, croutons, and sprinkled with small portions of bacon, prepared with small cooked strips of chicken." I described. "It's a nice light meal, but still offers enough energy vea the dressing and meat, to give a good bit of energy." I explained quickly.

She pursued her lips at that. "I've never heard of that."

It didn't surprise me, a lot of the meals I knew from my first life were unheard of in my last home as well. I had even made money at times as an 'exotic chief.' Though not a particularly good one. I had been out completed with my own recipes in less than a weak in Silverymoon. In the end the only way to make money was to just outright sell the secrets behind the meals and take what gold I could from the royal chiefs egger provisioners.

"It was a popular meal among upper crust casters of my homeland." I explained, and it was true even. Well once I had made it so. Hamburgers were slightly more popular, but those took more time to make from scratch, best save them for a rainy day.

She nodded, and then pursed her lips. "If you were going to prepare a meal anyway then why bring me here?"

"Appetizers." I responded. "I know which fruits you like, but life it not always about sweet things."

She rolled her eyes. "Bread, brie, and milk. The good kind." She informed me.

I offered a playful smile and slight bow. "As you wish my Master." Rising up I set out to gather the appropriate, noting that the servants had gotten back to work for the most part. "You really should get in better touch with the castle staff though Master. It is no wiser to alienate yourself from who serve you, any more then it is to do so to those you serve." I reminded.

She rolled her eyes at that. "Again with this?" She asked.

"Commoners have more power then you suspect. They might not be able to do sorcery, but they can still do anything without innate magic… including using magic artifacts." I reminded as I found the bread and took a small loaf. "There were several highly effective disciplines of combat that could shut down a mage where I came from. If not else, just because one wields magic, does not make them any less susceptible to poison or a knife in the back."

Louise shot me a look at that, eyes glancing to the various servants.

I continued unhindered. "If nothing else, then as a Lady of nobility, then do you not hold duty to uphold yourself to the standards of nobility? To watch over those who you act as lord of? The word Lord is in relation to that of Leader I remind you." Well it was in most languages, from what I had seen the base language of this area was not too dissimilar from Latin, and it was the case there.

Other servants were now paying attention now. I took the opportunity to find a small roll of brie, and cut a slice.

She considered that. "I suppose so…" she commented.

"Good!" I chimed, as I arranged the two items. Hunting down the milk by sent more than anything. "You know you really should consider taking on a personal servant." I commented.

Siesta froze.

I continued. "I am too busy with arcane study to really do many of the tasks a familiar is normally able. And given that I believe I'll soon be turning profit in a few ventures I'm working on, I would be more than willing to shoulder the price of upkeep for one doing the duties I would normally be assigned." I explained.

Now this Louise was considering much more readily. I was suspecting she had been hurting a little from my absence for most simple chores. She put a hand to her chin. "You would take care of the price of this?" she questioned.

Considering I would soon be learning how to make solid gold from dirt, I was fairly confident I could recoup the prices. If nothing else, one always had to spent a little to make an investment, and the odds that we might be moving closer to Louise's family soon demanded I take action.

Irukuku I could reach vea other methods. With her fortunately I had no need to maintain this cover identity.

I nodded. "The advantage of my independence master." I explained. "I have resources of my own… gold is still an excepted currency is it not?" I questioned, as I found the milk pouring her a tall glass, then setting the whole thing before her.

She nodded. "Resources… Ah! Like that bag." She stated recalling my handy haversack.

I nodded. "Dimensional storage is an interesting art. A bit fickle in some ways, and fragile in others, but far too useful to not utilize. I'm actually thinking of making a sale of the techniques in its creation to the local guilds once I get the opportunity." The odds that it would likely require a 'circle' style caster to create them only added to the opportunity there on a personal level.

She raised an eyebrow. "How much do you have in that thing?" she questioned.

I smirked as a reply, and then set to work on the actual meal itself.

She rolled her eyes, and started into her snack, and considered it. "Alright." She said between bites. "What were you thinking?" she took a knife and started applying the cheese to the bread.

"For the most part just someone to help me see to your needs." I started. "But also someone you could keep closer. A confidant." I explained. "It seems we might be doing a great deal of traveling in the future. And I am not the best of company" I admitted.

Siesta was paying close attention to my words, freezing for a moment when I mentioned travel.

Louise frowned at that. "It would make things easier… but they would have to be able to take care of themselves."

"It's not too hard to teach someone the basics for living on the road." I waved it away. "If defense is your concern, well… I do know my way around a sword with some decency. And both of us are casters." I reminded her.

She pursued her lips at that, and then nodded. "I suppose that's wise, enough." She returned her attention largely to her meal.

"You'll be leaving soon Mr. Moxt?" Siesta asked concerned.

I nodded. "So it seems." I mused. "I fear our lessons might come to an end soon."

Louise frowned. "Well then why not bring her?" she asked. "You want to hire a servant? This Maid…" she hunted for a name.

"Siesta." I replied.

"Siesta." She continued. "Is a friend of yours. She seems competent enough."

I didn't smirk, I didn't. "Well I wouldn't want to drag her away from her job here at the castle." I started.

"No no!" Siesta said. "I'd love to go! I know Mr. Moxt is a fine man, and would be a good employer."

Louise maid to interrupt but I cut her off. "Are you certain? It could be rather dangerous at times. Highwaymen and all that."

Again she tried but again was interrupted, this time by Siesta. "I'm sure we will be fine. After all, though strange, you are an elf. Who would dare try to rob and elf?"

Louise was growing frustrated I could see, but frankly it was too much fun to stop now. "Well then we'll have to work out a proper wage for you." I mused. "I suppose we can waive the training fee for the added difficulty in working on the road."

"Will we be traveling much?" Siesta asked a little concerned, and stopping the pink haired mage before she could even open her mouth, inflicting a full eye twitch upon her.

"Regularly." I began. "Though from my understanding it will be more a commute then anything. Moving regularly from the castle to my master's homestead." I explained in further detail.

"Oh my!" she stated. "Has something happened at her home?" she asked in genuine concern.

Louise threw up her hands and gave it up as a bad job, focusing on eating and just listening in with an irritated look on her face.

"It's more of a private matter." I stated quietly. "I can explain more if you decide to take the job."

She considered it, giving a cute little hum as she did. "Well it sounds alright." She admitted. "So long as I can keep at a reasonable wage."

I nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem." I finished quickly.

She beamed. "Then I would be happy to accept such an offer Mr. Moxt!"

Louise made a sound.

I turned to face her. "Yes master?" I asked.

"Chicken's burning." She informed me.

I blinked, sniffed the air and twisted to see the chicken was in fact burning.

Letting out a squawk of surprise and shock I swiftly went to work saving what I could, ignoring the variable aura of smug behind me.

Shadow of Zero XXX

It didn't take much time to put together a chicken caesar, not if you knew what you knew what you were doing. The cuts were thin and chicken was far from the densest of meats.

The first batch was dead, not inedible, but not up to the standards I would ever serve to even a temporary superior. Me and Siesta snacked on them and chatted over the fine points of the verbal contract between us, the mild char giving it a delightful crunch to my own pallet… Siesta… did not seem to be of the same opinion given her tendency to scrape off the black bits before eating the rest.

Humans, even having once been one I still didn't fully understand why they were so picky about what they ate. Bah, if they didn't want to enjoy the occasional chunk of iron with their poultry, there loss.

I had to mix up the salad dressing myself, but at this point I was long used to that. The bacon was easy, they already had cut strips in the ice box and Siesta went and retrieved some for me.

Hand cleaned with another application of prestidigitation, I crushed up two croutons upon the salad itself, before picking apart the now cooked bacon strips into the mix, and applying a generous amount of the creamy dressing. I left Siesta to toss it as I went to retrieve the chicken out of the pan.

Retrieving the thinly sliced meat, I placed it onto the salad a moment after the Maid had made a plate of it, presenting it to my master with an eerie coordination considering the little time we had worked together.

Louise blinked. I'm not sure if she was impressed, unnerved, or just outright confused by the little display.

"Well." I stated, snatching out a fork and offering it. "You going to try it or not?"

Cautiously she took the utensil, and started at the dish.

I think it was the dressing that did it really. She lit right up, eyes wide. "mish if 'ood!" she got out around bites.

I grinned, and then started with the next bit of meat. Still had enough salad to feed around three others.

"So what are you planning on doing to for the Evaluation Fair?" Siesta asked.

"Evaluation Fair?" I questioned, and glanced over at my master for explanation

Louise colored and focused far more heavily on her meal.

"The Evaluation Fair is a presentation of familiars." Siesta explained to me. "It's a tradition the students have. I think it's required too." She guessed though she sounded a little unsure. "It starts up soon; I thought you would have begun preparing by now."

Louise pointedly did not look at me.

"On the day of the Void?" I questioned, Siesta. "Exactly what kind of presentation are we talking about? A quick overview, or would I be expected to demonstrate my capabilities?" I added as inquiry.

She paused at that thinking, making another plate, as I lifted up the next set of slices. "No. I think it's on the next day of Water. The student's get a bit excited because they get to miss a class for it." She paused on my second question, "And yes, I've seen some of the students training for it."

I frowned, arranging the meat once more, and then setting the next dish before her, setting down yet more cuts, even as I sliced them. "I've heard nothing about this. Well I suppose it's logical. The Familiar is supposed to represent the master as much as meet there needs. Showing off your own would be a good way to boast one's ability, and demonstrating the ability to command would demonstrate further command over one's own power." I mused; really this version of the familiar bond was interesting. There didn't seem to be quite as many side benefits, but the ritual bonding itself was far more elaborate, providing a much closer pact partner. Then again that could just be due to the smaller relative distance between master and familiar, even in my home land, stronger familiars didn't tend to 'buff up' as much as weaker ones, only being slightly more powerful in net total do to their origins. Binding some creature that already had innate magics just took more power to do, and you over all had less over to augment their abilities, its why most stuck to the simpler method of simple animals?

Not to say that a powerful base didn't lead to a powerful familiar. I was poof enough of that, we just didn't need as much magic to bring up to the standard.

Siesta looked somewhat interested at that. "It does?"

Louise seemed to think likewise, though with her face stuffed, she didn't get out the same question.

I sighed, and nodded. "Yes, yes it does." Really, it wasn't that much of a jump of logic. "So then I am to make a bit of a show of myself? Interesting… I suppose I could always sling a spell or two of my own. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to ham up things in front of an audience. Maybe turn a random bystander in the audience into a newt or something."

"Gerk!" Louise choked at that.

"It wouldn't be permanent." I assured her.

She seemed to relax a little but seemed still quite wary.

"I'd change them back afterwards." I explained.

She made the sound again.

I smirked. "Really. The spell itself is quite harmless… well so long as you're not squished or the like in your stay. I've even used it beneficially before. Turned a man dying of a rather harsh stab wound into a starfish so he could heal up, and aided star-crossed lovers deal with small issues like incompatible lifespan or species." I mused whimsically. "Not something to do lightly of course if you're not planning on reversing it, but hardly dangerous in and of itself."

Siesta was wide eyed, and looking at me much as how I would look at one of my older, larger, and much more powerful brethren.

I raised an eyebrow in response. "What?"

"Nothing!" she said quickly.

Louise filled in the gap. "Your magic really is different though. I've never heard of human transfiguration." She explained.

I thought on it. "I noticed. I think it's mostly a philosophical thing. Your people treat it more like it's a simple force, it commands elemental powers and that's all there really is to it. Fire is hot, things fall when dropped, magic turns rocks into gold." A very simplistic approach, very primal, and there was value in some of the things they had developed from that base. They had pushed raw ability of magic to manipulate substance to unbelievable levels. I was already using small tricks observed off other mages to render my own spells more efficient, or to up there potency. "We as my own have always viewed magic in and of itself as more a substance, as a power of its own, an element all its own." Which is why when we conjured or transfigured something it was largely made up directly of magic, and hence ether bound to condition, or temporary, we weren't writing reality, just fixing our own notes over the pages.

Louise blinked at that. I suspected a bit of confusion there. It flew in the face of what she had been taught. Surprisingly however she nodded appreciatively, apparently grasping the concept easily.

Siesta interrupted however to move onto a different point all together. "Star-crossed lovers?" She asked, eyeing me with an amused look. "You don't exactly seem the type."

"It happens." I stated. "Humans and elves, humans and dwarves, elves and elves." I smirked and tapped to the side of my own crimson eye. "Even a blink dog once. She was entranced with my first wayward apprentice. Found value in his loyalty, and commitment in his ideals." I explained.

At the sudden looks I elaborated. "Blink dogs are an intelligent dog like race. Very clever, but still shaped much like your average hound. They have the ability to teleport short distances instantly, hence the name." I shook my head. "Good natured, but perhaps a bit to loyal, to steadfast in their commitments. Even with the gift of human form, I don't think Jono ever really understood her intent. Last I saw she was still fallowing him loyally." I pressed my lips. "I can shape form, but not minds, not hearts. It takes a lot of courage to abandon your people for one who will always be at least a little bit alien to you." I shrugged. "In the face of that, who am I to deny them the opportunity to try?" I set the slices on the next dish and replaced my master's. "Can't really help them much. An elf shaped as a man is still an elf. They'll live and die human, but under it they are still elven. You can get used to a form like that, even enjoy it. But it'll never be entirely right." I knew that one from intimate experience, but at least I had an escape at times.

Louise tilted her head at that. "Who would want to live like that?"

I shrugged again one last group of meat on the pan. "You do crazy things for love."

I didn't see the look Siesta gave me at that. I didn't.


	4. Revelations

Revelations

Shadow of Zero XXXI

Eventually my own chance at a meal came around, and I dug in with about as much grace as was warranted for the situation, eating fast, but not sloppy.

I was surprisingly good at that all things considered.

"I'm going to need a lab soon." I mused.

"Lab?" Louise asked.

I nodded. "Spell research, bit of alchemy, and a dash of item creation. More the former then the latter, but I might need to make a few things." I only had what I had brought to this world after all. I wasn't nearly as reliant on mystically augmented equipment as say your average adventurer, but I was a far way from supply lines, and wasn't quite willing to barter with outsiders for kit when I could make most of what I needed myself. Trying to get gear out of the higher planes could be tricky to say the least, and dealing with infernals tended to involve long arguments over fine print.

She nodded in understanding. "You will need help?"

Siesta perked up at that. "Help?" she echoed enthusiastically. Well at least I was likely to have a lab assistant then.

"Some." I admitted. "Mostly just getting space. I'll need a shelter a little bit bigger then our room, detached from the main building if possible, but sturdy." It wouldn't do to be interrupted, or to take out a chunk of the academy when something inevitably exploded. I thought on it. "What does your average earth mage charge to rise up a nice thick walled shed?"

"Five hundred new gold." Louise stated at once surprising me. "If you want quality. You could probably get less than fifty if you were willing to just hire a few students."

I raised an eyebrow and gave her a questioning look.

She blushed and offered no explanation.

"Alright." I replied logging it away to uncover later. "I assume that is including the basic enchantments against ware and tare?" ten pounds of gold was a little much for a simple thick walled hut.

She gave a nod, and I pursed my lips a bit at that. "Hum, this is starting to sound like a bigger investment then I intended… ah well in for a penny in for a pound. I _do_ need a lab." I surmised as I adjusted plans.

There was a period of silence, between us, and I scraped the bottom of my plate, noting the sound of all else occurring around us. It seemed Louise's presence here among the serving staff was accepted, or at least tolerated. So far things were looking well on one of my longer term projects.

"Well I suppose we best leave." I mused. "Only so many hours in the day after all." I pointedly did not look. "Specifically to research. I need to work on this worlds take on transfiguration. Basics are vital after all." I added with amusement, eyes flickering to Siesta before turning to Louise.

The former seemed to get the hint, and nodded slightly as Louse rolled her eyes at me. "I know I know." She sighed. "Out to the lake?"

I glanced at the window. The sun was falling already… "Hum. Might as well. Were practicing openly now, and it could do well to help squash the idea I'm helping you cheat." I smirked at that.

Louise shushed me. "Don't say that!" she reacted quickly eyes darting around, clearly concerned. "I don't want that started up as a rumor."

"You know there are advantages to being seen as weaker then you are." I responded coyly.

She rolled her eyes. "In war maybe. You really need to stop being so paranoid. I don't know what happened in your homeland, but your safe enough here."

If only that were true. I mused. "Old habits die hard. You may come to value my caution in time." Rising up I took the plates and started for the sink. Best clean up my own mess while it was still fresh and easy.

"So what are you going to do?" Siesta asked. "You dodged it earlier, but can't you give us a little hint?" she unleashed the dreaded puppy eyes.

Gah, blasted things were harder to resist then an ilithid's 'Mind Blast'. I'd frankly have better luck shrugging off the domination ability of a darastrix'charir.

Well a small tibbit wouldn't give away too much. "Let's just say that one should never challenge a master of illusions when putting on a show." I smirked. I might need a few props though. "Master, I might not be able to be at class with you tomorrow. It's the Day of Wind is it not?" I questioned.

She nodded at that.

"Excellent." I mused. "I know a few small tricks for manipulating air, and I think I can teach you one tonight. I'll need the day to gather a few things from town." The air magic of this land was useful, very potent in times of war, but overall I already had spells that could emulate such functions with far more efficiency and potency. The beginner's lecture and demonstration wouldn't teach me much that ether books or the more advanced courses would not. If I erred, I potentially had a teacher in Tabitha. I had enough confidence in my ability to persuade the bluenet to get basic lessons at least out of her.

Louise looked thrilled at that. "You mean I can actually use what you teach me?" she questioned.

"Some." I stated. "It'll double up as good control training. More so as these are not technically evocation spells." And they were some of the most basic and useful ones at that.

She beamed widely at that. The opportunity to prove herself more than sufficient motivation.

"Are you going to need a guide?" Siesta asked suddenly.

I stopped and looked at my apprentice. "To the lake?" I asked a little confused.

"In the village." She corrected an egger tinge in her voice. "You said you needed to go shop for some things there?"

I paused at that. I had hoped to pop in and out quickly vea magic, taking Siesta would increase my travel times exponentially… but it could also cut down on the time Looking dramatically.

No real harm in it. If anything it'd give me time to make up for this missed lesson.

I gave an open nod. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. It'll give us time to talk over some of the finer details of your employment." I added as both truth and cover.

Louise shot me a look at that, but gave no protest, though oddly I thought I sensed a spike of hostility shoot between my disciples.

Well that was foolish. Siesta knew my master held a certain priority, and Louise didn't even know my new employee even qualified as a 'rival'. I dismissed the motion and focused down on cleaning up the mess my attempts at dinner had caused.

A chance to resupply, a lab in the works, some spare time to teach both apprentices, and apparently open rights to blow off chunks of the day to power nap as needed.

Over all things really couldn't be looking better!

Shadow of Zero XXXII

After we made our way out to the lake I showed Louise a few basic control exercises, namely the basic cantrip of 'mage hand' she had a strong tendency to puree anything she tried to move into its compost elements, but by keeping it simple and toning down the power to as small a trickle as she could, she was getting better.

There was still a rather strong stench of ozone as she used the same trick to move the air around a bit. Slowly but surely however she was starting to get the hang of it.

I took the opportunity offered to catch up on my reading. Draconic memory, and decades of spending time as a near bibliophilic reader sped up how quickly I could go through the theory texts of this land, but I still had a lot of material to work with.

The hard part really was always sorting out what was genuine arcane mechanics from simple yet effectively pointless traditions. There was a science to magic, and although there was also intrinsic ritualism to all forms of magic, even the most superstitious of barbarian sorcerers held purpose to their actions. Parts of the mind were triggered when one spoke, gestures ether shaped the body to help one channel power to its proper shape, or sometimes actively manipulate it after it had already left to form a spell.

The problem really was that people were lazy.

There were two ways to make a spell. Wizards through their understanding of magic, like any other craftsman carefully put together a long series of shaped bursts of form and power to come craft a tailored effect. The results varied of course, as did the means, but overall it was the same basic methodology was the same. They built them from the ground up, understanding every aspect of the spell as necessity. There was no other way they could hold it, control it. To try and use a spell made as such was akin to allowing an undomesticated into your bedroom while you slept helpless.

The second was unique to sorcerers and some divine casters. You winged it.

Innate casters understood magic instinctively; they had senses, instincts, which most people did not. Magic was a part of them, and they a part of it. As such they could cast a spell as easily as most people could throw a punch. There were a few goofs at the start that might end with a broken thumb or knuckles, but over all the more you tried it, the better you got at it. Unfortunately the downside to this was that few actually had a full understanding of their craft of a result.

Did a man need to know which muscle groups tensed in his arm to move his fist? Did he need to understand the laws of momentum? Did he even need to know where to hit? To simply throw a punch in and of itself no. Instinct and experience would teach all of this of course, but it wasn't actually [i]required[/i].

Most starting sorcerers likewise didn't really know what in the nine hells they were doing. Set the air on fire? Sure! Call out to the outer planes for help when in a bit of a jam? Bit trickier, but quite doable. Go turn that annoying chap into a newt? Why the heck not?

But they didn't **know** how they were doing what they were doing, not completely. And that's were superstition came in. Magic was confusing; it seemed to come out of nowhere and even to its users many functions and behaviors just did not make any conventional sense. A caster might offer a small prayer to their patron god before casting, and the boost in confidence from such could help them focus out a spell they normally couldn't manage. Another might find it ether cathartic or intimidating to throw an unnecessary bodily motion with the casting of an attack spell, an effect really no more useful than a normal fighter yelling out as they threw a more conventional strike. Over time and mimicry, these little pointless rituals built up. It's why occasionally you found an ancient spell that was simply so much more powerful compared to more modern versions. Bad habits hadn't had time to accumulate.

In my homeland, they rarely hit any sort of real momentum. Wizards outnumbered innate casters to a rather large degree, and a sorcerer could learn from mimicking a prepared caster as easily as they could one of their own kin. The more logical approach forced magic users to 'keep lean' on unnecessary ritual. Wasting time, wasting power, drawing more attention than needed, more concentration then needed, all were sins when a hairs breath could all too often mean life or death.

But this land was a paradise.

Man warred on man, the enigmatic elves slaughtered a score there number in the best of case were moral and immortal clashed, but it really all was just so damned peaceful really. Humans were the dominant species period. Towns didn't just disappear every few seasons, only a handful of creatures viewed sapient life as snackmeat, and none of them were really organized, cities stood undefended outside times of open war, and more people than not held assurance of having food on the table so long as they put enough effort into getting it.

There were no monsters here. No demons of the deep, no extra planer horrors trying to claim the realm to expand their empires. No warring gods, no power mad undead seeking to drag all things alive to their state of undead. Even the animals were smaller, less vicious creatures, having no need to compete with the supernatural horrors of my native realm.

Magic was a right here, a status symbol, not just one more tool to help you keep alive long enough to breed. Tradition ruled and grew in complexity as people worked to show off there might and lordship over the common foke. It was deadly in war, but war was a political creature. A thing to wage for land or wealth, not for simple survival.

I watched as my master became distracted as an orb of water was lifted by her unseen grasp. She tried to manipulate it, the mass already 'steaming' as it occasionally broke down into hydrogen and oxygen. There was a look of wonder in her eyes, pride. It reminded me of another with darker red eyes.

I let out a slight breath in remembrance, and then turned back to my borrowed tome. I'd have to be careful here. It'd be far too easy to go soft. To become spoiled in this land. Paradise or not I was a stranger here, and quite possibly not a welcome one. A room with enough drunken brawlers could ware down even a skilled fighter, and I was not all that powerful of a mage. Something had killed the king serpents of this land, and I did not know if they still lingered. I needed to be ready if the time game.

A shadow passed over head, and my eyes darted up, listening to the distant gleeful trill of Irukuku. No when the time came. I had too much experience to think this would all last forever. Too much to risk losing to place such a foolish bet.

Picking up a twig, I made a slow motion, and a ball of earth formed, drawing dust from the air at a rapid pace. I nodded, and tried again refining my motion to a loser circle and observing the differences.

I had to make what of this time I could.

Shadow of Zero XXXIII

Eventually darkness fell, and having now largely gotten a hold of the 'mage hand' cantrip, Louise headed inside for what I assumed to be a long night of bed rest.

Closing up the now finished theory text on basic water magic healing, something I was getting the basics of, but still not really fully understanding, I slid it into my haversack and looked up and out at the lake. "You can come out now."

In hindsight that really wasn't the most brilliant of moves. I realized this roughly the same moment as roughly a hundred and twenty pounds of nubile feminine flesh impacted into me with all the grace and subtly of a battering ram.

"Kyu!" trilled the mass of pink and blue. And I let out a slight groan as my world started reorienting itself to its proper position. "Levekyu!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Hello Irukuku." I grunted out. "Could you get off of me?" even in dragon form I'm pretty sure that a 'hello' like this would have ended up knocking me flat on my ass, as it was I muttered a minor healing cantrip to fade away the bruises.

"Nopes!" she defied me and all but made a nest of my prone torso. "Nopes nopes Kyu!" she cheered.

I groaned. "May I ask why?"

She stuck her tongue out. "Cause your all boring and stiff. You need to play!" she explained in the sage like yet childish glee young dragons and fae creatures were akin to using.

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Kinda hard to play games flat on my back." I reminded.

She stuck her tongue out again and teased me. "Make me!" she demanded.

I grunted and tried to do so, but she had me good and pinned, whatever difference there was to our shape shifting technique, she had retained most of her strength, were as I was only as powerful as your average drow. In addition she was using her state of undress against me, I didn't have much along the way of 'safe' zones to get leverage.

I was going to have to learn that strength trick, I think I even knew of it. I could use magic, but that'd hold the risk of harming her, and frankly I wasn't about to escalate things to that level with an unknown.

With a sigh I fell back. "I can't push you off when you're like this." I admitted.

"Yes you can." She chimed musically.

"No I can't." what was the point of all this.

"Yes you caaaan." She teased again. "Kyu!" she looked down at me in a childish scolding look. "Your just being silly big brother. If you don't push me off soon Big sister will be here and scold us!" she warned me like a little girl threatening to tattle.

Frankly I didn't hold the situation in quite as much dread, but the idea wasn't exactly appealing ether. I smirked slightly as an idea came to mind. Irukuku wasn't used to human form, that much was obvious with her less then stellar knowledge of basic mortal customs and culture. I wasn't sure if she still had her stronger dragon senses of sight, smell and hearing or not, but I did know at least One sense that had shifted when she shaped skins.

Agile elfin fingers darted out for their target and went to work with a meticulous glee, and Irukuku reacted at once.

She shrieked, hands lashing out to her sides as I tickled her, rolling over trying to get away from me, as she laughed uncontrollably.

"KYU! Stop it!" she giggled. "Stop!" she was quickly devolving into a squirming mess.

"Never!" I roared pouncing, and continuing the assault. I let out my best evil chuckle. "It seems the table has turned! Who will save you now?" I hammed it up as much as I could.

"Kyu!" she laughed again. "Save" a giggle fit. "Save me big sister!" she fought for air.

At the same time a wall of wind smacked into the side of my head, and for the second time in as many minutes I found myself on the ground trying to figure out which way was up.

"Owe." I winced. Saw that one coming at least.

"Big sister!" Irukuku cheered, as she rose up and ran for Tabitha.

I sat back up, with a grunt. "Didn't have to hit me so hard." I muttered.

She didn't reply or look up from her book, instead cutting right to the chase of the reason for this meeting. "Lesson."

I nodded. "Right, work now, play later. Irukuku?" I asked

She looked over at me, head tilted in a distinctly bird like manner, letting out a sound of interest.

"Why are you naked Irukuku?" I asked her eyebrow raised. "Humans ware clothing when there outside."

She slumped. "Kyu… I'm soury." She said looking down scolded. Should have bloody well tried that one off the bat. "I had my Kyu, that you kyu but kyu!" she defended.

"Ah." I remembered, "It faded away?" I guessed.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Rights into the air! How did you do that Kyu?"

"It was just shadow stuff. An illusion given form." I explained with a frown. It looked like I had more to add to my grocery list. "[b]Greater Shadow Conjuration.[/b]" I made a simple sundress this time, a light blue shade like her hair, and threw it to her. "Use this for now. It should last until morning." I threw it on her.

I'm pretty sure I had Tabitha's attention with that one. Illusions were the domain of wind and water mages in this land, and I'm fairly certain she was skilled enough in both magics enough to at least know the basics of them.

The younger dragon managed to figure out what went were in short order and was quickly sitting in front of me, watching with egger eyes.

I made motion for Tabitha to sit beside her. Unsurprisingly she remained standing. I gave a nod and turned my full attention to the larger bluenet. "Alright. So far you've been in human lands for three days now, and have not yet been discovered. Good job."

She beamed under the praise.

"But at the same time we've had a few close calls." I cautioned. "The others are ignorant of our kind, and that will give you some defense. They will put off most of your slips as personal oddities, but you can still very easily draw far too much attention to yourself." I grimaced. "Honestly associating yourself with me will not make that any easier. I'm already making waves, and my time here will only produce more of them. It would be best if everyone only thinks your human form and my elven one are mere acquaintances."

"Kyu?" She questioned, obviously confused. "But… isn't Levekyu Levekyu?" she questioned.

"Yes." I replied. "I am still me, but Lev the Drow, must often be different from Levethix'moxt the Dragon." I explained. "Just like how Irukuku the Human, can't always be Slyphid the Dragon." I added in.

She didn't seem to fully get it. I needed another way to put it.

"It's like pretending." I began. "When you're a human, you have to act like a human. Otherwise you're not doing a very good job." I scolded.

"Gasp!" she made the sound again, gah, she _had_ to practice that. There was no other explanation. I refused to believe anyone could do that without intent. She turned puppy eyes on Tabitha "Irukuku hasn't been doing a good job?" she asked, well more begged in hopes it wasn't true.

"Your young." I said at once. "Pretending to be something your not is tricky. You need to remember a lot of little things."

"Like dresses!" she said tugging at her shirt.

I nodded. "Like dressing. Humans are more fragile than dragons, their skin tares easily, and they can get to hot or two cold unless they are careful. So they have to wear clothing like armor, to help protect them against the world."

She tilted her head, but seemed to get that a bit easier.

I moved onto the next point. "The next thing you have to keep in mind is that most people can't shape shift, even with magic. No references about flying or eating things you haven't seen a human eat."

She nodded, taking my words as gospel. I really lucked out with my current batch of students it seemed.

"You also need to mind what everyone's doing. Watch them and imitate. If you see one person doing something, odds are you can do the same and no one will bother you. This isn't always the case, but normally it is." That one would cause a few problems, but would still help more than hurt.

She nodded again. "Ok! Ok ok ok!" she cheered. "So Irukuku has to watch everyone and do what they do kyu!" she nodded. "And not talk about dragon things, but always wear pretty blue dresses, because it's armor that protects Irukuku." She nodded for a third time.

I chuckled. "That's the basics of it yes."

"Then we can play now?" she asked looking to Tabitha excitedly.

Tabitha said nothing but gave a slight nod.

"Yay!" A half second later I was eating dirt again.

This… was going to be a long night.

Shadow of Zero XXXIV

I spent the next several hours playing with the two of them to the best of my ability. Just the basics to begin with, then a couple hours in mixing it up a bit with a small case of shape shifters tag, and then another air born race, somewhere along the lines actually devolving into having actual fun with it all.

The fact it gave me a good opportunity to observe both Irukuku's shape shifting technique, and a few of Tabitha's wind spells was entirely a side benefit.

I even took her on a hunt deeper into the woods, showing her how to stock deer from the air without frightening them off, something frankly she should have already been capable of.

I thought she might have humored me on that, but by the end at least she seemed to actually be taking the lesson to heart. It was important to know how to ambush something beyond simply running it down with superior speed.

The next dear went down by land, further expanding on past lessons, she scared off the first four we found, but the fifth went down before it even saw her teeth.

Bidding them farewell, I went back and reclaimed my first kill, the minor necromantic spell placed upon it, both shielding it from rot and infection, and warding off any insect or scavenger from taking a bite.

Dispelling the effect, I went to the tiresome effort of dragging the blasted thing all the way back to the castle, cursing the lack of aiding enchantment all the while. Well at least I knew what spell to master after learning the trick of transmuting metals anyway.

By the time I had brought the bloody thing to the kitchen I was utterly filthy, a minor illusion hid the fact, but right after dropping it and giving a quick greetings to the late night staff I was off to the lake.

I really should have explored the local waters long before. The lake was clear, pure, I was actually beginning to think there was some sort of benevolent power keeping it such, as previously the only such oasis I had found were fae grottos and celestial springs.

It was… unpleasant. As nice as the waters were, as soothing as they were over skin and scale, I couldn't help but feel my presence dirtied it. As if I was something tolerated, not something truly wanted or accepted.

I left shortly after cleaning myself. Making my way back indoors before the dawns light had reached out to touch the land.

Stifling a yawn I went right for the bedroll, slipping into my master's room without as much as a peep from the sleeping young magus. I gave her quite form a small tired smile. She was growing fast, it wouldn't be long before she became a mage worthy of baring something like a Darastrixi'vis as a partner.

I frowned at that, and clamped down on the draconic pride thing a bit more. I was letting it get to my head again. Louise was Louise. Pact bound master, and paradoxedly student of my own. She was a friend first and foremost, nether commander nor anyone who need _earn_ my loyalty. I had chosen to take on the runes on my arm to use her to shield me while I grew and developed into my own powers, and in earned offered my not inconsiderate services for her relatively short lifetime. A bargain of symbiosis, which had grown some attachment, no more, no less.

I sighed and made for my bed roll, sliding into its supernaturally comfortable sheets. I really was going to have to deal with this odd geas that the binding had laid on me, it seemed to be messing with my instincts in increasingly annoying ways.

What is it about wariness that makes one so philosophical?

Sleep claimed me fast, it's ever needy grasp taking hold well before the dawn's light had peaked through the window of the room.

My dreams were… odd. I saw Louise, floating immaterial, yet not ethereal through a place I recognized all too easily.

It was the frozen plans of the realms. An area not too far from mythrial hall, but still a distance from the ten towns and neverwinter. I had called these plains home for over decade of my life. There were numerous tunnels to the underdark littered over them. To dangerous and lifeless for most surface monsters, to close to the light of the sun for most under dwellers.

She shivered, and I moved out towards her.

As she turned to face me, she let out a sound of shock and backed away in fright.

I tilted my head confused. "Louise?" I asked.

My voice seemed to surprise her further, but stopped her, she looked at me in the eyes, and started mouthing my name.

And then disappeared.

My dream world shifted at once, quickly becoming the normal chaotic mix of memories and delusions, guilt's and hopes, nightmares.

And then I was being shook awake.

"Mr. Moxt!" A familiar voice sounded, the light so bright I didn't recognized the source.

I growled, a primal inhuman sound, eyes locking onto the source even as they cleared, face twisted into a warning scowl.

It was Siesta.

I blinked a couple times; face relaxing "Siesta?" I questioned in the confused tone only newly woken dreamers ever used.

"You didn't seem to be sleeping well." She said. "Are you alright?"

I shook my head clear, and started pulling myself free. "Fine… just a nightmare. What time is it?"

"Just past noon." She informed me, still looking slightly concerned "You said you wanted to go shopping?" the question longed a little as if she was unsure.

I nodded rubbing sleep from my eyes, and let out a very dragonish yawn. "Thank you for waking me. I'd have probably slept the day away." I mused showing a bit of humor.

That seemed to help lighten her concern a good deal. She gave me a scolding look. "Are you getting lazy Mr. Moxt?" she asked warningly.

"Nocturnal actually." I stated. "Don't like the light much, I'm used to working mostly by moonlight." I explained.

She looked a little confused at that. "Like bats?" she asked.

A few images flashed through my mind and I shivered at the memories. "I prefer to liken it to Owls, but yes." I gave her an odd half smile half grimace. "It's something I suppose I'll get used to."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Are we going then?"

I nodded. "Just give me a few minutes to clean up and I'll be right out."

Well it seemed it was time to see what this new day had in store for me.

Shadow of Zero XXXV

Now I'm no primadonna, but I am a mage. Prep time is par in course for the profession, whether you do it in the morning, or on the fly.

Honestly I was more akin to the latter type. Most spontaneous casters were, but I still took a few moments to focus myself, something I hadn't had much opportunity to do since I had arrived, gathering up my energy and sorting it within myself into preset 'bursts' that I could shape into a spell on the fly. I felt out my body, relaxing and tensing in sequence, soaking in the spell that let me borrow the form I was in, and refamiliarizing myself with the little alien intimacies of a shape that both was, and wasn't my own. I renewed the spell, this time altering it to give me a slightly different outfit, as good an excuse as any.

I rose up and left for the door, pausing for a moment to slip a ring onto my finger, and a cloak from my belt.

More magic, I could feel the power surging into me, under my skin, bolstering and altering it. Giving me abilities beyond what nature normally allowed, and let's be honest here, when it comes to my kin, she already gave a metric ton of leeway.

No real choice for it. Elves were not very well liked here, I couldn't afford to be recognized, and altering my own form while hinted at, was an ability of mine I'd rather keep unconfirmed as long as possible. That left the good old method of simply being as inconspicuous as possible.

Right… that'd work out fine.

I didn't slip the cloak on until I left the room, Siesta having apparently been waiting patiently for me just outside the door.

"You're ready?" She asked, eyeing my rather radical shift in attire.

Were before I was clad as a scholar of the underdark, I was now 'wearing' the simple linens I had seen other male servants ware in my time here.

"Just one more thing." I informed her, and then threw on the cloak.

At once what little reflection my skin cast died, the shadows cast by folds and angles deepened, and all light around me seemed to fade just a little.

The enchantment of shadows was most easily applied to armor, the innate protective nature of the garb lending itself theologically to shielding one from view. But fine enough cloth worked in a pinch, and the silk lining of the garb was an armor of its own, helping to catch the barbs of some arrows, and being strongly resistant to the rending grasp of some beasts.

My apprentice seemed shocked, and I gave a slight smirk. The dark gray of my skin blending seamlessly into the deep darkness of the hood, giving only the faint hint of my face. "I told you I didn't like light much." I pulled a set of gloves from my bag and slid them on, testing the dexterity they allowed. "Shall we?" I questioned.

Getting over her surprise she nodded. "It's a bit of a walk. We'll have the main road at least." She pursued her lips. "Unless you have magic that could speed things up?"

I had been waiting for this. She'd gone through the spellbook by now, and knew now what to look for, wizards could learn spells just by watching them, if they were skilled enough. She likely couldn't master any magic I cast at her current level, but it could give her hints, show her tricks how to decipher the nature of my work, and gleam ideas off them.

I'd have to be a bit more cautious of my magic use around her now. She might try something to advanced and end up hurting herself.

"Nothing I'd use casually." I mused. "A short walk has never done anyone harm. Lead on."

She seemed disappointed at that and I gave another smirk.

She eventfully perked back up around half way down the road. Roughly the same time I found myself feeling absolutely miserable. Elven constitution was much to be desired, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, leaving the sun to beam right down on me with only my shadow cloak as cover. I could do it, heck I had made far longer voyages in the past, but damn it if it wasn't a pain in the ass.

We made it to town in a little over an hour. The position of the sun putting the time as a few minutes before two.

I gave the buildings themselves a once over. Largely uniform in design, stonework, good solid walls, the kind that last at least a dozen generations unless brought down by outside force. Most of the walls looked to be ether large single peaces or layered solid brick, I'd put my money on them being the results of the local earth mages.

I gave a random building a once over on that. It was good work, the crafter knew a good bit about construction, and there magic let them pull the whole thing together without cutting any corners. If I wasn't already willing to bet that the shop itself was over a hundred years of age, I'd ask for the name as a recommendation.

"Ah… Mr. Moxt?" Siesta asked cautiously as I continued to examine the texture of the stonework, attempting to discern the exact type used.

I whipped my head around to face her. "Hum?"

"Are we… actually going to enter the building now?" she asked, eyeing me oddly.

I blinked, considering exactly what I looked like having stopped everything to go over and start examining walls in high detail. "Ah… yes." I said quickly. "Just a bit curious, you don't see fine work like this done often where I come from." I tried to explain.

"It's just a normal building." She started.

"And I'll soon be commissioning something similar." I reminded.

That seemed to do the trick. She let off and we both entered the shop, finding ourselves surrounded by what had to be over a hundred different swords. Swords on wall mounts, swords in barrels, fine swords, plain swords, old swords, new swords, swords that gleamed with gold, and ones that were covered in rust. A few even seemed to shimmer with innate magic.

I almost salivated at the sight before me. While largely ether basic functional pieces, and with more than one barrel full of a smith's practice pieces, there was easily a small fortune in fine weaponry in among the rabble, well over ten thousand gold peaces worth of staby slashy goodness!

I grinned wide as I took in the plane salesman behind the desk, no armed guards, nothing at all to hint that any of these pieces was all that spectacular… suggesting this sort of finery was _common_ in the land.

Truly I had been sent to a most wonderful land.

Looking around me, I eyed through the wares, "Alright then… let the hunt begin."

Shadow of Zero XXXVI

I picked three random blades, to start my purchase, setting them on the table before the manager even managed to get a greeting out, that done I triggered one of my most basic and useful cantrips. "**Detect Magic**"

All practitioners could sense magic to a greater or lesser extent, dragons more so, but it was limited, more a yes or no thing, like how one could tell something was steel by the texture and hardness of it. The cantrip refined that minor sense to sharp detail, allowing one to sense the location, power, and nature of mysticism of any sort with enough examination. It wouldn't unravel the spells themselves of course, I had another trick for that, but it would give me a basic feel for what I was looking at.

A full dozen blades lit up within my view, some brighter than others, most lined up upon the walls. I approached one. Strong magic, evocation related, my guess was that with the right trigger the edge would light up with an elemental effect. Flashy but effective. I took it off the wall and handed it to Siesta, "But it with the others."

She gave a nod, her own aura now displaying small sparks of power. No true spells, but enough to let someone know she dabbled. I turned back to my hunt.

The next blade was interesting, shorter, single edged, the enchantment was weak but well made, my guess a strengthened frame and sharpened edge. Economic, as soon as Siesta returned I set it to her hands. "Thanks." I offered my secret apprentice in thanks.

She beamed at me, seemingly more than happy to help my improvised shopping spree.

The third weapon was a short sword, this one was… odd, I hadn't seen an enchantment like it, some sort of healing effect? Odd for a weapon to have, but to interesting to pass up. Into the pile.

Siesta offered me a look at the collection of all the odd weapons. "What is all this for?" she asked.

"Patience grasshopper, all will be clear in time." I offered in my most aged and sage-esk voice.

The look of utter confusion on her face made it well worth it.

I was starting to grow worried I'd over spend, I had only so much along the lines of liquid funds, and I still hadn't managed that 'stone to gold' trick they used here. Then something caught my eye.

Another aura, or rather… an anti aura. Something was sapping at the magic ambient in the air. It was in the discount bin, and as I approached, the effect started peeling away.

"Gah!" I called out covering my eyes. The aura on that thing damned near blinded me. It had power, a lot of it, more then I had seen in anything other than an elder Wyrm, or a Drow matron. Whatever this was, it was beyond mortal magic, definitely epic level enchantments were laid upon this blade. I dropped the spell simply to keep the strain from my eyes.

A hand touched my shoulder. "Are you alright?" the maid asked, concerned.

I shook it off. "I'm fine. Just a headache." I lied blatantly, and then turned my attention back on the item before me.

The weapon before me… was a rusty bit of scrap. An oddly jointed hand guard rested over a well rapid simple hilt, the sheath had seen better days, but still looked intact, if aged. It looked like a piece of junk, some simple infantry man's blade, long since left to times tender mercies.

But even with the cantrip dispelled, I could now **feel** the power radiating from the thing. The age, the strength. This was a weapon that had slain legends, had watched the rise and fall of empires and kings.

And it was sitting lamely within a discount bin alongside rabble that would fall apart if I breathed to hard on them.

Well, then again, technically, a lot of things fall apart if I breath-

"What are you staring at?" The joined guard moved in time with the sounds and I was floored again. It was intelligent! A true blue artifact! I closed my mouth and composed myself.

"I'm not entirely sure." I stated, and eyed over at the salesman. The large weapons dealer seemed to be near bursting with joy, and was watching me like a hungry dog eyed a cook at work. I leaned in a little closer and examined the weapon in higher detail. On the second look I could see the rust and dirt was accumulated, basic particles that built up over countless years. But for this level of build up on enchanted steel…

"It looks… old." Siesta commented eyeing the blade with a speculative look of distaste. Apparently she hadn't built up much of an arcane sense yet. Then again whatever that drain effect was, odds are it shielded from basic detection as well. I certainly hadn't spotted it on the first glance.

"Hum. You've not seen much action in a while have you?" I mused. "Couldn't find a good partner?"

"Hah!" the blade laughed. "What would you care? I'm not just some simple curiosity. I've seen your type before. If you try and hang me up on some mantle piece I'll never let you here the end of it!" he warned.

I smirked. This thing wanted to be used. "And if I promised to clean you up a bit? Maybe get you into a shape that someone might actually consider using you again?"

That got the sword thinking. Oh yes, I wanted this blade… well as long as I could convince it to actually work with me. Only a fool worked with a sentient blade that was after their own blood. They had a nasty habit of turning on their wielders if they didn't like them.

"No mantles?" it questioned.

"No mantles." I agreed. "I'm a researcher. I want to get an idea of how you were made, how you work. Field tests would be the best way to determine the latter would they not?"

I got the distinct feeling that if it could scowl it would have. "You better not just have me cutting pigs."

I smirked. "Metaphorical ones maybe. How about a deal. I clean you up, and we see how well we can work together. If in a month's time you decide we aren't suited to one another, then I'll return you, nice and shiny as new. Your odds of finding a good wielder would be a lot better wouldn't they?" I questioned.

It mulled over on this. "Agreed." It stated.

I reached over and gripped the blade, pulling the first few inches of steel to view over what I'd have to work on. "Hum, good bit of built up, minimal corrosion." I could feel it tugging at my disguise. "Stop that." I warned it.

"Ah, sorry partner. I'm not often used by nobles." The drain dropped and I firmed up the spell, the tone seemed honest enough.

"Hum, single edge. Been a while since I've used one of those." I mused, then walked over to the counter. "This guy and the rest of them."

The man looked like Christmas came early.

I could already feel my wallet shrinking from the prospect.

Shadow of Zero XXXVII

The whole load actually cost me a lot less then I had feared, only a few thousand gold. Considering I had nearly a ton of the stuff in my coin purse, I could afford it. Most of the pile went right into the haversack, but the artifact, who was apparently named Delfinger, now rested on my back.

"Were to next?" Siesta asked enthusiastically.

"Outfitters. Then ether glass works or a tailors." I began. "We're going to do a lot of traveling. Moving around in a scholar's outfit or a servant's uniform just isn't practical. The glass is for the lab." I informed.

"Anywhere else?" she asked.

I frowned. "I might want to get a small anvil. Again the lab. I might need to do some forging." Especially if my master's sister was as bad off as she sounded.

If any project mattered in all my current schemes, it was ensuring that Louise didn't lose Cattleya… not when they actually cared for one another. I wouldn't let her bare that kind of hurt.

Not when I could so easily stop it.

Siesta nodded, and then eyed me. "How big of one do you think you'd need?" she questioned.

I held out my hands a short distance. "Tools too though." I responded. "Mostly for a jeweler's craft. Maybe light maintenance work." I explained.

She nodded. "You might be better getting that at the school. One of the students could call one up."

That brought me up a little short. The local conjuration was permanent, and apparently fairly detailed. The books I had read mentioned summoned weapons that had lasted through extended battles, armor and golems crafted in moments that lasted until destroyed. I was well onto mastering the local earth magic, how much could I simply make for myself with a little patience? Tools could be expensive…

No, no time to wait for me to catch up. I would be ready NOW. I could make up the funding later.

"The tools we should get here." I stated. "I don't want some student's first attempt for detail work. The anvil we can get back at the academy." I relented. "Good idea though." I complemented, it was best encourage such behavior after all.

Siesta beamed at that, and I noted a small commotion to the side. Apparently a local noble of the more pompous sort was throwing a bit of a fuss at a shop. I caught his eyes for a moment, my form sticking out almost as much as his own, so dressed in elaborate finery. We were opposite extremes, he was shroud in gold and fine cloth, meant to catch the eye and impress.

I was layered in a simple dark cloak that intimidated and concealed to the point of actively draining light from the air.

Both of us magi, both flouting it, him through wealth, and I through an unmistakable passive use of our art.

I didn't like the look on his face, I didn't like how he was acting around the commoners around him, and I did **not** like the way he had been looking a **my** apprentice a half second ago.

I focused on him, burgundy eyes flashing warning as I let slip my aura of terror, my posture hidden beneath the darkened folds of my cloak, but expression supernaturally intimidating.

He noticed, even from the range I could hear the slight intake of breath; see the sudden dilation of his eyes. But he held his ground, and returned the look with intensity.

I resisted the urge to outright growl at the fool, to drop façade and show him exactly what he was dealing with.

Instead I snorted obviously and continued down the street, a concerned Siesta in tow.

We managed to make it all the way to the outfitters before she piped up. "Was that… really a good idea?" She asked.

I made a sound rather than a response. Well technically it was considered a grammatically correct affirmative with undertones of 'don't bug me on this' in a few languages I knew.

Siesta it seemed was not sufficiently multilingual to attain that interpretation.

"Mr. Moxt?" She questioned again.

I sighed. "Probably not. Looking back it actually seems rather foolish." What had caused that? The moment I had seen that man all my instincts had screamed 'finish him' in their best cheesy imitation of Mortal Kombat tradition. I had managed to smile and bow before _drow matrons_ what on earth would get me to nearly brake character in front of a bog standard underpowered political mage?

"Then why?" she asked, again visibly concerned.

I frowned. "I didn't like him. Something… set me off." I mused aloud. "Something not right, not natural." A creeping sense of familiarity plagued at me, I racked my mind at it, but as is normal to such things, the feeling only slipped my grasp more as I tried harder to gain hold of it.

I let it go, it'd come to me in time… hopefully before it was too late.

I looked at her. "Be careful around him. Avoid being alone around that man at all costs." My instincts had led me astray a few times in the past, but those incidents were few and far between. If something was setting me off like _that_ then this whole situation warranted far more caution then it seemed.

"But if you-" she started again

I cut her off. "Heed my words!" I warned firmly, then calmed. "I'm not one to react like this. You know me well enough for that." I pursed my lips, "I am not sure why I did… but something… is not right about that man. I sense a danger from him, something…" I fought for a word, and then shook my head. "Just avoid him however possible. I will not lose so promising an apprentice to simple chance!"

She reacted to my words… I'm not sure how to describe it really, some mix of confusion acceptance and… affection? I hadn't seen that mix in a while, and couldn't really interpret it at the time. I turned back to the shop before us. "Let's continue shopping. We have a long walk back, and it would be best to be home and fed before mid afternoon."

That strange noble. I traced over the features, fine clothing, my guess wealthy, though no real hints to elemental disposition. He carried no familiar, so I could not gleam information on him from that. His face was plain, a light tan that hinted at common outdoor exploits, and he held a developed, though not overly toned musculature. He held himself like a casual fighter, not someone who made living or life from their skills in combat, but was familiar enough with battle to hold their own. No obvious scars, but held himself in high confidence… he wasn't old, maybe as young as late twenties, or as old as mid thirties, but there was no gray in his hair, and the mild crowsfeat could be inflicted by the same sun that browned his skin. He might very well have earned the money he so lavishly clad himself in, a true aristocrat.

I actually tended to hold some respect for that sort of noble. They didn't just let their bloodline do the work to carry them through life, and actually put effort into bettering themselves. But something was wrong with this one. Some sinister hint in the way he held himself, some dark tinge to his eye. I had lived among some of the worst the mortal races had spat out for longer than my apprentices had lived, and knew the signs. He acted civilized, but there was something more to what was shown on his sleeve. Something twisted.

Something dangerous.

And I had no idea what it was.

I clenched my fist and drew breath, drew sent, affirming he wasn't in the area.

What on earth could be setting me off like this?

Some dread feeling welled up within me, a sort of pseudo nausea, a sickly feeling. I exhaled slowly, I didn't know… and I bet my scales I'd soon have to find out.

Shadow of Zero XXXVIII

We gathered the remaining items with considerable speed; I didn't see 'That man' again, in the entire trip.

To be honest that didn't relieve me at all. If anything it amped up my anxiety. Odds dictated we should have encountered one another on the return trip. He wasn't exactly stealthy, so that dropped odds that he had simply dropped to a lower profile.

That meant he had left almost immediately after our encounter. I didn't think for a moment my little display had scared him off.

That meant he was planning something, preparing… or reporting on it.

I didn't like that. I really **really** did not like that. It was time to jump footing.

First deal with the legality of my situation, get all paperwork in order.

Scratch that. First find out what the hell my new sword collection did and distribute as appropriate. Then let my master in on a few secrets, and insure how I was standing in terms of martial defense, _Then_ I could check my legal.

No time to waste traveling like this ether. Once we got a moderate distance out of town I pulled Siesta out of clear view of the road.

"Mr. Moxt!" she exclaimed surprised, worried, and… excited?

I ignored that. "Were taking a short cut, brace yourself." I informed her.

She seemed confused, and I gripped on tight. She looked at with that odd mix of emotions again, before I uttered the spell. "**Teleport!**" I barked.

Have I mentioned how much I hate teleporting? There is no real way to describe it. You rip yourself out of the material plane, crashing through different pressure zones, gravities, and laws of physics in roughly the same time it takes to register that up should not mean down, and left should not mean orange, and are promptly ripped back to the prime, with equal disorientation.

I was 'used' to the sensation; it didn't make me sick or knock me off balance. In fact I was actually well enough trained at this point I was actually combat ready and aware by the time I came out of it, chronologically the same second we left.

Siesta was not.

With a sigh of experience I steadied her, and then pulled her hair back as she turned to her side to vomit. Pressure sickness was the most likely culprit for that one, not enough time for vertigo.

I waited a bit after her first heave, once there seemed to be no signs of a second one coming I moved a hand down and began rubbing her back. "It's alright. Most people get sick the first time." I told her calmly.

"What was that!" She demanded with a shriek of surprise moments after she had managed to steady herself. Yet at the same time she didn't pull away.

"A short cut." I stated. "Just… not a conventional one. It was a spell of teleportation, transportation magic." I explained. "Easily one of my most advanced and trickiest ones at that. Still haven't worked out the kinks to it."

She gave me a look at that, and I had the dignity to look sheepish.

"It's an imprecise art." I explained quickly. "Some of the more advanced versions give an easier ride, but you get used to it in time. You'll need to build up tolerance if you're going to travel with me." I warned her.

The prospect of that didn't seem to please her in the least, but she accepted it.

"More importantly however… it saves us a lot of time." I looked over to our side. We were in a small shallow in the tree line that surrounded the academy green.

She seemed surprised. "A portal?" she questioned, then looked around us.

"Not quite as long lived." I explained quickly, making pace for the castle now that my apprentice was standing steady. "Come on, I didn't use that spell for show. We have little time to waste." I stated.

She started after me at once, running a short distance to make up the gap I had already left, looking at me curiously. "Why?" Real concern was seeping into her voice. I think it was starting to register to her just how badly shaken I was, how serious things seemed to be getting.

"I'll explain when we get there." I grit out and went right for my master's room. 'That Man' still in my mind. What was it? What thing about his rodent like features had set me off? It wasn't just danger… or danger at all from that matter. 'That Man' for all that he made me want to slip into a form a little more defensible, didn't actually seem that formidable. There was no defined aura of power to him, he was fit, but not in the excellent shape of carrier fighters. Damn it! I needed to figure this out!

I debated using my innate short ranged teleporting ability to just jump us the rest of the way, Siesta's stomach be damned.

I pushed it down. That much would be more than a 'little' overkill… and deplete a useful desperation ability. Man I _was_ shaken… whatever happened to my cushy job of teacher and familiar?

We made it to Louise's room in less than ten minutes. The fact I seemed to be passively leaking my aura of terror aided that considerably. I had to be playing marry hell on my carefully built reputation. Everyone moved well out of our way often before the two of us even fully came into view, and I set as harsh a pace I could without outright running down the halls.

I found myself not really giving a damn about that. I needed to be ready now, I could run damage control later. I needed to martial up any active resource I could right Now.

Tabitha. The thought hit me. I'd seek her out after this. If 'That Man' had set off my instincts, it'd passably do the same to Irukuku. The younger dragon wasn't hardened, she'd panic, and that could be very bad. Tabitha would need to be warned after I had gathered Louise. Maybe the slight blue mage could help…

My master was anxious when I came into the room, she looked up to me, and barely gave as much as a glance to Siesta. "What's wrong?" she asked, not so much out of concerned, but out of a need to be informed of the situation."

"I don't know. But something." I said to her, hunting for a way to put to words what was happening.

She pursued her lips after several seconds of silence, looking for any explanation. "Nothing?"

"Something." I pushed. "When we were in town today… there was a man, noble, roughly six feet in height, rodent like features, dressed fine, well worn, my guess is someone relatively active physically." I summarized, then cast a minor illusion showing his likeness.

"Lord Mott?" she questioned looking at him. "What about him?" she asked.

I filed the name away "Something's wrong with him." I intoned gravely. "The moment I saw him every inch of my skin wanted to crawl off my bones. I haven't felt like that sin-"

And there it was. The revelation. The thing I had been grasping at. The last time I had born a feeling like that.

It had been in front of my brother. Right before I ripped his throat out.

This was bad. This was **very** bad.

Shadow of Zero XXXIX

"He reminds me of my brother." I said in a dead whisper, eyes wide.

Of all the things I could say that was likely Not the one thing ether girl had expected me to say, and I was treated a stereo "What!"

"This is bad… This is **very** bad." I muttered, and started pacing around the room, if only for something to do as I thought. "Nine hells, this is bad!" I muted rubbing a hand to my face.

"Wait what! He reminds you of your brother?" Louise asked. "How is that bad?" She asked.

I paused, and looked at her. "I had to _kill_ my brother Louise." I told her firmly.

She jerked back "Kill him!"

I nodded. "It… wasn't… There wasn't another way." I muttered. "He went mad. Not the harmless crazy ether. He made… deals. Exchanges for more power, bargains for favors." I grimaced, covering my mouth at the distaste the memories brought up. "The things he had done… that he was willing to do." I shook my head, and gave a dry swallow, stopping my movements to look to my master. "I had to stop him. I didn't have any other choice." I looked at her, pleading silently for understanding "I _Had_ to."

Silence passed between us

"What… kind of bargains?" Siesta asked breaking the moment. An act I was very much grateful for… and one I cursed. Did I tell them this?

Enough to hit the impact, no real details.

I didn't look at either of them. "I… told you about the deities of my land remember?" I asked, not really caring about the answer. "They're not the only powers out there. There are creatures, outsiders, that live in realities both like and unlike our own, aspects of the prime given life all its own, and… other places." I clenched my hands. "A lot of these outsiders have power of their own, some are magus in their own right. Others wield magic the same way you do your hand. It's just a part of them, something they can bend to there will as easily as you flick a finger. It's common practice for magus of my realm to contact these creatures and make bargains for power. You and I did the same not long ago if you recall." I reminded Louise.

She jerked a bit as stuck. "Wha-"

"There is only one moon in my homeland's sky." I explained tonelessly. "I know not where our worlds are in relation to one another, but I know them different. But your magic reached my world… so it likely can reach other ones as well."

That… seemed to confuse her a bit; I was long used to it. Teaching the basics was part of my duty after all, and it helped get my mind away from the sick pit growing within my stomach.

I turned back to the wall, looking into the shadows for some comfort, finding none. "The trick with such bargains is in knowing who you're dealing with. A celestial creature will always be benevolent, but it will rarely tolerate deception or evil of any sort. Payment to such creatures is often long sot and comes in the form of self sacrifice… I've dealt with them before. It's hard to live up to the standards they demand." I mused. "An easier bargain is from one of the elemental planes. Embodiments of aspects of reality. Fire, chaos, wind, order, shadows, positive energy, negative energy, all have a realm that reflects and defines them as much as a mortal can pensive. Even some emotions and actions have such reflections. I know nightmares hold a world of their own."

That brought shivers, though Siesta looked more interested then afraid. I continued. "Such pacts there are simple business transactions typically, barter is no different than trying to gain something from any market. Some are immoral, but then some people are as well. Things keep relatively neutral."

I frowned. "But the easiest and most dangerous source of power is also the most vile." I grimaced. "The Nine hells, the abyss, all will gleefully offer services, abilities and items of power for the merest chance to claim another soul. They'll offer you dreams, at the cost of others nightmares. Every deal sweeter, every sacrifice easier, until you are one in all but name, and you find yourself hunting for infants to offer to your dark masters, for even the slightest boon."

The look on their faces seemed to be as sickened as I felt.

I sighed. "The insidious part is it's possible to get a relatively reasonable bargain out of them, nothing openly amoral. You don't realize what you're doing until it's too late. Given enough desperation you start considering your options… like Nocu'di'daari did." I stated sadly.

I was silent for a moment. "He wanted to do good. I think. The first time he came in and saved me, my sister Arytiss'j'nah, and our youngest sibling Svaust'geou'gahri'jaci." I almost quirked a lip at the irony. Svaust had been the first of us to go… the largest of us, I always found it amusing that the youngest of my clutch was the strongest of my siblings, while I the eldest, was the runt. Not that it had really helped him in the end. "Always so clever." I muttered now more a curse. "So proud for his bargained powers. His gifted magic. So sure he could outwit and out think any creature he bartered with." I clenched my fist.

"And 'Lord Mott'. Gives me the exact same feeling as he did after his madness claimed him." I looked up at them.

Both women reacted when I changed the subject, Siesta shivering now openly, while Louise seemed to want to go into denial.

"I can't confirm it of course." I stated, looking away and considering. "Not now, not yet. But I [b]know[/b] this." I stated. "I feel it in my bones, in my blood. Mott's made a pact, maybe more than one. And I don't know the scale of the power he might wield from it."

Louise took a gulp of air, I think it helped. "Then… what are we going to do?" she asked me.

"Do? Prepare." I muttered. "He knew me, not likely for what or who I am, but he recognized me as much as I did him. We will come to blows I think, soon." I pressed lips at that. "Until then I am going to do everything I can to help protect my one venerable spot."

Both girls blinked up at me.

I reached into my bag and pulled forth a ring. "Now Master, this is a ring of moderate protection…"

Shadow of Zero XL

I had the both of them outfitted in short order. I didn't know what the swords did yet, so I left those in the bag, instead sticking to my older toys.

A ring of moderate protection for the both of them, then a mixer. I had a ring of chameleon power on my one finger, and I slipped that off to gift my master, explaining how it would help one conceal themselves when they desired, but was Not outright invisibility.

I made a note to forge said ring of invisibility once my lab was put together.

I went over my other items for Siesta, a ring of wizardry was all but useless for her, she was learning fast, but learning magic and knowing it were two completely different animals. Instead I slipped that over my own hand, replacing the sacrificed defensive item, shivering slightly as I felt my reserves surge from the augmentive item. I hadn't worn this that thing since…

Bad memories.

Needless to say, utility alone was the reason I actually kept the blasted thing. But it had power, a lot of it, and I might need it soon.

That left a half depleted ring of the ram, regeneration, sustenance, bone, and telekinesis.

My master already had limited offensive powers at her command. Even if she didn't know exactly how to use them, directing raw power at something with intent to 'hurt' was something any magus could accomplish.

Have to step up her ability to call lightning though. She'd need a proper weapon if this was a hint at things to come.

I looked to Siesta. "Alright, of what I have left on me, these three are your best options. This." I held up the ring of regeneration. "Will speed a person's healing, letting them recover in hours what they should in days, and recover perfectly from any wound taken without scaring, even if it would normally not be the sort of injury to ever fully recover. It only restores you to what you were when you first wear it however, so it can't heal old wounds." I grimaced. "I bartered for this ring. It's easily the most powerful item in my possession, but it's passive. Only really useful if you're going into a scrape you know you'll be hurt, but likely to survive. My recommendation lies in these other two."

I pulled forth the Ring of The Ram, pulling it in my palm. "On command, this will sent a short violent burst of energy down the length of your arm to a good range. It can shatter most doors, and will crush in a grown man's chest with a solid hit. Think of it somewhat like a portable battering ram."

I noted Louise's jealous look at that, and continued. "It's also limited to a certain number of uses." I warned. "A couple shots over twenty if I recall. It can be used to fire a single burst at a time, or a merged stronger blast of up to three. Very potent, but as I warned limited."

Siesta nodded looking more than a little ill at the prospect of using such a thing. It reminded me of a time I was helping to arm up reserves of some little nameless village I had decided to help defend.

By the god's mercy I hoped this didn't turn out the same way _That_ did…

"This last one I think might be your best bet. A ring of telekinesis… it allows the manipulation of objects at a much longer range, and can with only a little practice, pick up even a grown man and throw him about. Defensively, you're better off just grabbing anything solid and heavy to throw at them, or to give a short violent thrust, to knock them down." I advised. "It's a bit tricky, but I think it'd suit you best of the bunch."

She seemed to agree, taking the last ring.

I slipped the other two within my haversack for now, I'd hand them out once we had reached Tabitha. "I fear that's all I have for defensive trinkets at the moment, I wasn't exactly packing heavy when you called me." I told my master, with a slight grimace. Most of my kit was back at my old lab, likely long raided by now, or a bit too obvious to wear out in public. I'd have to make do with what we had. At least until I could set up what I needed to call up a few old friends, and barter for more.

"What now?" Siesta asked, slipping on the ring, and eyeing it, likely curious as to the sensation it brought.

My master became spontaneously invisible. Well more she blended into her surroundings, but that's another matter.

I shot her a glance, letting her know yes I could still see her, even as she examined her hands. "I am going to go talk with a new friend of mine while you two get to know one another better, then the three of us will go and attempt to gather information." I adjusted my cloak.

Both girls eyed each other with a look of disbelief, and then annoyance mixed with revulsion, then finally bitter acceptance. "Fine." Both muttered. It was actually somewhat unnerving how they could synchronies like that. I'd seen it happen several times in my stay here, people linking together to express or work in perfect consort with one another, even experienced it myself once… maybe the people here had some minor innate psychic talent?

I gave a nod. "I'll be as swift as I can. Keep safe, and if you see anything odd, do not hesitate to seek help. I'm going to set a minor ward down on the room to warn me if anything approaches." I called power and cast. "**Alarm.**"

That done I turned to leave.

"Wait!" My master called out/ordered, and I felt the sudden compulsion to do so.

I could have shrugged it off, but chose to do so, looking over my shoulder at the pink haired girl curiously. "Yes?" I asked.

"What if we don't find anything?" She asked. "What if no one knows, or you're just being paranoid?" she questioned, though she seemed to bite her lip after the last line.

I thought on it, could it be paranoia? No, I didn't believe it to be. I knew what I sensed, what I had smelt, seen, and felt, even if I hadn't realized it at the time. Mott was a warlock, or something of their ilk, and he had already fallen to the madness of it. This couldn't end in anyway but blood. "Well then…" I started with an assuring smile. "I guess we might just get to see exactly how well a mage of my lands stacks to one of this." I mused, not showing any of what I was feeling; the only gesture of discomfort I allowed myself was a slight brush against Delfinger's hilt, a small search for reassurance in what I might soon face.

I didn't find any.

I was wasting time. I had to go find Tabitha, warn Irukuku, and then look into how I could defend myself from any probes or assaults from the dread mage. I didn't know how long I had until he made his move.

Experience had long thought me that there was never a real question of 'If'.


	5. A Time To Talk, A Time To Fight

A Time To Talk, A Time To Fight

Shadow of Zero XLI

I called to shadows and moved at a quick jog, my cloak eating the sound of my steps alongside the light that would reveal me, unseen and unheard, I ghosted to my target location at a speed that while not superhuman was setting a rather harsh pace.

I was tempted to burn more magic for a small speed boost. With the ring doubling the efficiency of my lower powered spells I could do so easy, it wouldn't cost me much at all.

Except one more shield spell, one more volley of 'magic missiles', or more importantly, one more 'cure minor wounds' spell that could mean the difference between life or death.

Healer be stingy…

I upped my pace further, it wasn't like I hadn't been more active in the past. Damned lazy bones.

I came to the bluenet's door and knocked thrice, tapping my foot impatiently as I waited for her to reach it.

Half a minute passed and I reached out to knock again when it opened. Revealing Tabitha standing there in a familiar night dress, her expression it's normal emotionless mask, but the red hints to her eyes and dryness to her lips hinting that she had been sleeping only moments before.

Why would she be resting now? The sun was still out… I shelved the thought, no time. I gave a nod. "Miss Tabitha." I stated.

She looked at me wordlessly.

"I need to speak with you, it's something important." I tacked on quickly.

She considered it a moment, giving no outward sign. Her poker mask had oddly only improved given her condition, and then she moved to the side, allowing me to enter.

I exhaled. "Thanks." Then entered, eyes scouting for signs of Irukuku for a moment, finding none I turned around to face her. "A local lord has pacted with infernal powers. Literal ones, not metaphorical."

That… was not what she had been expecting. Her eyes widened a fraction, then a flash of disbelief, before all became unreadable once more.

I don't know why that surprised me, really it shouldn't none else here seemed to know of outsiders outside of their mythology. I shook my head, and brought a hand to my temple, trying to relive some of the sudden pressure that came out of nowhere. "I don't know how, but I know it, I've seen it before, as it is unfortunately a much more common thing in my home realm. And no I do not think I could mistake something else for it, there are certain… aspects, that are almost impossible to mimic." The thing about his eyes, the chilling burn on my supernatural senses, the traces of sulfur and elder stuff on his skin. How had I missed them before? It was all so obvious looking back.

She blinked, and opened her lips for a moment.

I cut her off. "I'm not sure how I'm going about this but I have to do something, this is dangerous in ways I can't properly explain. I'm not sure about getting you involved at all, but I needed to warn you because odds are Irukuku could sense something's off with him as easily as I could. I doubt she'll react well though, I don't think she's encounters fiends before." I clenched my fists, and actually tore out a hair or two from the hand by my head.

I stopped at that, the sudden pain of it, and paused, looking down at my hand and the few silver strands now in it, for a second.

"I'm acting like I've gone mad aren't I?" I questioned.

She looked at me, not at chest level, not at some random object, or through me, she actually met my eyes. "Yes." She toned seriously.

I exhaled again, taking a calming breath. "I'm sorry, I… don't react well to fiends. Demons, in particular. I…" I stopped and shook my head. "Alright, first things first, let's lay down the facts a bit, alright?"

She nodded, and her gaze seemed to fall through me, hand tensing as if wishing for something. It was the first tell I had seen on her… well ever.

"This noble. A 'Lord Mott' You know him?" I questioned

She gave a slight sake of her head, nothing you'd notice unless looking for it. "Reputation." She managed out.

I nodded. "Yes well I don't have the big details there, but I'll be getting them shortly. He's pacted with something. There are… side effects, signs, that mark one who makes one too many bargains with such creatures. I have no idea how he's managed to come into contact with them though, through my admittedly limited search of the local history there has been no record of ever encountering such creatures like true outsiders. And trust me they'd have left a mark. But then again Louise summoned me and there's nothing suggesting if I could be called something-"

She cut me off, "Elf." She pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I look like an elf, but trust me, if-"

She did it again. "Elves." She stated more firmly, again not really looking at me.

I stopped, at that. "Elves? Wha…" I considered it. "Elves." The local elves were not the elves of my homeland.

The local elves were immortals, true ones, terrifying creatures both beautiful and fierce, a single one of them worth a score of trained veteran soldiers, presumably with a high percentage of them being magi.

Terrible beautiful creatures, who wielded equally terrible magics. Why would they have such power? Nature doesn't just spit out a super predator like that for just any reason. You needed something to force growth, to demand more strength in the face of it.

It had held interest to me as I was currently guising myself as a sub race of the species. I made a quick coloration of the historical accounts, taking in reported tactics (well as much as such reports spoke), numbers observed, and general individual strengths. I had discovered at the time, that while not a major threat to the local branch of humanity, the elven population was actually on the increase. Every hundred years or so there was a notable increase in numbers and skill among there soldiers. Back in Brimir's time, one elf was worth ten solid men in a scrape, by the most recent account, one elf could force even a battalion to retreat if encountered.

So what were the elves fighting to make them like that? It wasn't raw numbers of humans, the elf population was growing slowly over the ages, and the number of wars between them and men shrinking.

Some of it could be dictated by the old teaching the young, but there modius operendi hadn't shifted much, still swords and sorcery, still the same old tactics, or new ones lifted from human opponents. It was simply that the quality of their soldiers were outright better, they cast the same old spells, but with greater power, and skill, there swordsmanship shifted from the peak of human ability to well into the superhuman range.

Only one thing could cause that kind of growth. War. Simple Darwinian selection. The same thing that had forced the magus of my homeland to produce quicker more powerful spells then what the nobles here used.

But with who? Demons? Surely there would be some bleed over, infernals were not typically picky about who they preyed upon.

Could the 'elves' themselves be demons? Possible, but unlikely. If the abyss was spitting out creatures like that, the best of them would have drawn the attention of far more obviously infernal rivals.

Maybe… the elves were simply learning from summoned servitors? No again, not obvious enough. Well this was going to drive me mad for a time.

I shook my head at her. "Maybe there involved hire up, but I don't think they are involved with Mott personally. And regardless finding the details I suppose isn't that vital for the short term ether. Mott identified me, I don't think he knew what I was, but he knows I knew him, or something of that like. I drew his interest." I grimaced.

"Danger?" She questioned.

"Minimal. Keep Irukuku out in the woods until I've dealt with him." I responded quickly. "Try… not to get involved." I decided at once. "Just keep at range, and be ready if I fail."

She looked me in the eyes again, intense, that was the best way to describe the tiny mage. So much was locked away within her, the moments when something managed to burn through…

Well it took a certain power to punch through barriers like that. Power that didn't let up an inch the moment it got through them.

I met her eyes, and for a moment wavered under that strength. Mortals… humans in particular. Say what you will about a dragons power. Those few men and women who took it upon themselves to truly test their capacity, to throw themselves entirely to their discipline. No immortal's might could match that burning energy when it was properly directed.

I could only thank the taste of it I still bore to my own relative prodigious growth. Though at nights I still wondered what I could have accomplished if I had been reborn in that world as a man, and not a monster.

This time however, my steel proved strong enough. I held her look. "Just… be ready." I stated, "If you need to seek me out, you know how to find me." At least I trusted she did.

My business done here, I broke the look and started back to my master's room. I felt a bit relieved oddly, despite the new questions in my head. Maybe it was because I didn't need to look after at least one of my allies? I could trust Tabitha to look after Irukuku and herself. There was steel in her, strength. She would survive.

Now all I had to do is insure everyone else I cared for did.

Shadow of Zero XLII

I used my time in returning to plan a general course of action. A binder. I freaking hated binders, it was a number of things, from the taint they built up and spread, to the shear difficulty of facing one. They were easily the most annoying kind of mage to face by their own terms.

I had no idea what this Mott had in and along the lines of an arsenal, what abilities he'd earned, traded for, and were gifted. I had no idea how many creatures he had bound to his service, how powerful they were, or the significant details of their nature beyond being at least in part, abyssal.

I needed more information, and I needed to guard my apprentices. Like hell I was dragging them straight into a potential fight when they currently barely had the fighting ability of a frightened child holding his parent's hunting crossbow.

So I needed ether a guard or a scout. Preferably more than one. Tabitha was out, she was needed to protect Irukuku, or at least that's what I told myself.

That left fighting fire with fire… or rather summons with summons.

I entered the room and did a quick survey, Siesta was tidying up the room and my master was… currently phasing in and out of view. Huh, odd, I'd have figured Siesta to be the one experimenting with her new item imbued superpowers. Telekinesis took a bit more time to get the hang of after all.

But then again both also seemed stress, maybe they had regressed to their personal happy places?

"Right then, cleared one thing… next thing's up, were going to call up a little help." I stated a slight light of amusement to my voice.

In truth I was feeling more than a bit of nervous and paranoid as hell. I didn't have that many close allies I could call up that would be willing to face demons.

Though I did have at least one who would only show up to help me fight ones.

Damn it, this was going to suck, did I have any other options? Well I could always call on… No, bad idea. If I summoned up a few of my own infernal allies, I both held risk of drawing an entire aspect of the blood war here in escalation, and hammering out the details in contract would take far too long. To say nothing of how poorly my apprentices might act.

No I had only one real option for a good bodyguard. A binder was too likely to sense anything from the outside, and I hadn't gotten good contacts with the local powers yet.

I blinked as I realized my master was trying to get my attention. "What?"

"What help?" She demanded of me looking more than a little cross.

I blinked. "Oh, I'm going to summon up an outsider of my own. I know a guy who's very good at fighting demons, sort of a specialist. But I might need to clear up a few things on both ends when I do." I explained.

"I thought we were going to get information on Lord Mott?" she asked looking crossed at my apparent spontaneous change of plans.

I nodded. "We are. Fidelis going to help us out on it. Like I said, he's very good with demons, and knows a lot more about them and their mortal agents then I ever will." I explained.

Siesta blinked. "Fidelis?" she asked, and I snorted. Sure she gets _his_ name right on the first try.

"An old… acquaintance I suppose is the best way to put it. He'll jump on a chance like this, even if it means working with me." I explained.

"Wait, you said there had to be some sort of payment to call outsiders." Louise broke in.

I started over the room, clearing out a large enough space. "This _is_ the payment. Fidelis hates demons, we don't always get along, but letting him in on a group of abyssals trying to get a foothold on a free world will be the favor of a lifetime to him." Maybe even enough to get him to forget that little incident in Nesme… not likely, but then again that would be a side benefit at most.

"Abyssals?" Siesta asked for clarification.

"Demons." I explained quickly. "Give me a bit of room, this ritual takes a few minutes." Well technically it was a spell, just one that took around ten minutes to cast. A lot of large scale or long term magic did.

My master didn't seem to want to give me that time however. "Wait what exactly are you summoning?" She demanded, "And what do you mean a long time? It took you seconds to call up those monkey things."

I grunted in frustration. "That was a short term contract, spirits popping in and out animating conjured simulacrum, this is longer term true summoning. Sort of like what you did with me, only that I'm not bothering with any sort of binding, and Fidelis is likely to leave the moment the jobs done." Or possibly turn on me, depending on exactly what measures I had to resort to in this little escapade. I could take the old mutt with one arm and blindfolded, but he knew enough to make my life hell, and had enough spite in him to do it.

"You didn't tell me what your summoning." She reminded me warningly.

"A celestial." I stated. "Look, I know you guys want to know what's going on, but just give me a few minutes to get this done first alright."

Finally given the space and quite I needed, I started into the very long and arduous incantation.

Magic is a tricky thing, full of ritual and mystery, but it's also a science. Move your hand here, while channeling power, and you leave a wake, add in another poke, reshaped through your will and mind by a mantra, then sweep it in to combine with another construct through a wide circular motion, careful not to disturb.

Symbols, chants, motions, and emotions, all were just, little pieces crafted, reshaped, and put into motion just like anything else you made. There were ways to cut corners, to bypass the need of motion or word with shear will, to put together a jumbled together mess in a rush, but they all cost you, you needed to push tremendously more power into it to get the same result. I knew the tricks, but I didn't like using them, it always felt sloppy.

With power like this, I couldn't afford to be sloppy.

The world seemed to almost wink out of view, my focus totally on the spell, paying no mind to the visual effects outside. I'd been told they were suitably theatrical, but hadn't ever had a chance to actually see what my take on calling out to the void looked like from the outside.

Namely as I was trying my hardest not to let my brain explode.

"Fidelis!" I roared suddenly finding myself facing a open rift to the planes, the chaotic whirls and flowing energies surging and wisping, a brilliant divine light leaking through. "Fidelis! Nomeno ir relgric ekess wux!" Fidelis. this one calls to you. I called out in a guttural tongue, then added to the plea. "Fidelis! Nomeno ir cotui di korth ekess wer vanti! Nomeno ir relgric ihk aso!" Fidelis. this one warns of danger to the innocent. this one calls for aid. I roared out again, my voice carried though ethereal wind to their name's owner.

The spell worked.

I knew this because before I could add a third verse, a large, red, fur covered, hand lashed out and belted me across the face.

White ethereal eyes flared with divine power, "Speak quickly snake, or so help me I'll finish what I started back in Silverydale."

Shadow of Zero XLIII

Sitting up I rubbed my jaw, well that stung. "Nice to see you too old mutt." I didn't bother with a healing cantrip. "There's a binder in the area. I have no support, and this is apparently a free world. Nothing capable of stopping them once they pick up inertia." I explained.

He snorted. "And you expect me to come bail you out? Do I look like a fool to you boy?" he growled out.

"I'll fight my own battles." I growled warningly. "But I've got dependents here, defenseless, and nothing local knows even a wit about Tanar'ri." I explained.

He spared a glance at the two now openly gocking girls, then raised an eyebrow at me. "Mages?" he asked in deadpan.

"Untrained ones." I explained. "It's a school full of them, but not a man here could cast anything above forth circle to save their life. But these are the only two he'll likely associate with me. He's not gone rampaging warlord on anyone yet, so ether he's still building his forces, or going the subtle root. I'll find out once I've managed to pin him down."

Dog like features grimaced in a distinctly human like way. "You plan on interrogating him?"

I snorted. "The magic here has a lot of interesting uses, but it's not war magery. It's not the binder himself I'm worried about. It's his retainers." Well to be honest I was worried a little. I hadn't seen how the locals fought yet, I'd read plenty yes, but not actually seen it. And that wasn't even taking into account what kind of ability's he'd managed to acquire from his 'associates.'

"Liar. Your shaking in your boots lizard." The Archon snorted.

I narrowed my eyes. "Does it really matter? All I need you to do is watch over these ones while I scout him out. We both know which of us is better suited to protecting the innocent, and which of us is better suited to actually finding out what's going on."

"Yeah, me, and me." He replied, locking eyes with me. "You're a coward. You always have been you blasted reptile, and now that you've involved innocents, you think you can just call me up and hope I'll make it all go away?" he asked provokingly.

I nibbled the bait. Red eyes flashed dangerously and I growled. "I didn't call you here for that and you know it!" I clenched fists. "We don't have time for this. Will you watch them or not?" I demanded more then asked.

He snorted. "Your new form suits you snake. Fine I'll watch them, but I want to know everything you know."

The sudden ease off left me off balance, though I recovered. "I'm not using it exactly by choice. I showed up in this world while I was using it down in the underdark. Spontaneously changing would have made things… complicated."

He snorted again. "Deceiver." He hissed the word like a curse.

Oh this was most definitely a mistake. I shook my head. "Right, whatever, I'm going."

"Wait!" Siesta interrupted. "Mr. Moxt isn't an elf?" she asked.

The old dog grinned at me. I swore he got off on things like this. Then again maybe it was just me. When I and Fidelis first met it had been far from the most pleasant of circumstances, and we'd never really managed to bury the hatchet in the brief times we'd worked together since then. Mostly due to being damned near polar opposites in methodology. I was man enough to admit he was normally a very pleasant person to anyone who wasn't a evil SOB, but the two of us had rubbed each other the wrong way ever since a rather large mess involving the riders of Nesme, a homicidal gnome, and an unusually intelligent troll.

"Elf?" he asked. "He's said he's an elf?" he asked, looking over at me.

"Like I said complicated." I sighed. "And technically right now I am an elf, one that doesn't have much time to waste." I reminded.

"Now now! If you called _me_ up, then you must be pretty desperate." He commented with a smirk, blatantly head on his earlier insults. "Don't you think we should all know what kind of resources we have to work with? Being able to move openly as a fully grown dragon would really help things don't you think?" he asked.

My face was painfully stoic. "Yes it would, unfortunately I cannot, given that it'd also detract a good bit away from my ability to actually move around covertly. And the ability to do that, is worth more than a little extra supernatural muscle as things are."

She snorted. Always with the gods damned snorting, couldn't he verbalize his distaste in another way? "Sneaking around, hiding, lying about every single thing." He shook his head. "I swear."

"Enough!" Louise's voice called out braking up things. "Familiar!" she barked looking at me. "Is what he says true? Are you not fully an elf?"

I looked at her for a moment then sighed. "No. Not entirely. Right now I am drow in body however." Noting the look I backtracked. "I wasn't born an elf, though I don't spend much time in the shape I came into my world." I stated.

"Then you're a shape shifter." She asked, wanting more detail.

"Through practice… I told you, I'm good at transfiguration magic." I said with a shrug. "Does it really matter?"

The hound made a sound again, and rolled his eyes. "A freaking dragon, acting like a rogue. You were born in the wrong body _boy_."

I muscled through the antagonism. "I don't feel that one should be limited to their biology."

He muttered again.

"Wait dragons… like those ones in the pictures?" she asked, recalling an illusionary display I had made some time ago.

I shrugged. "Yes and no. I'm not as old or powerful as the ones I showed you. I'm only about a hundred and thirty, not much older then you in equivalence." Though as the expression said, it wasn't the age, but the mileage. I knew ten year olds with older eyes than me, and centuries ancient creatures who acted like children. I let out a sound of annoyance and shook my head. "Look were wasting time. I'm heading out now, unless anyone else has any points to raise?" I asked eyebrow up pointedly.

Fidelis smirked. "Go ahead _boy_. We'll be waiting when the _real_fight begins."

This was definitely a mistake. I growled at myself, and then turned back into the shadows, starting out back towards town full tilt. This whole affair had taken far too long. I needed to scout the area now before Mott had a chance to shore up any defenses, or send any probing attacks. I got my bodyguard, and as much as he might like to add his own spin to things, there was nothing so bad that the old mutt could tell them that ether girl would not forgive me in time. He _was_ worth the hassle to recruit into this. No other celestial I was on summoning terms with could do as much damage to abyssal attackers.

That thought helped relieve me of a lot of the stress that had just built up. Fidelis was not nice, but he was a good man, reliable, and strong. I could count on him to defend them. And that left me for the first time since I had arrived, completely hands free to deal with something.

Best make the most of it.

Shadow of Zero XLIV

"A dragon eh?" A hollow metallic voice called over my shoulder and I nearly missed my next step, I shot a glance over at the swords hilt.

I looked back ahead, I was making good time back to the town, holding at a brisk jog right through the woods. "Scales wings and everything." I replied. "Though my kin apparently haven't seen this land in a good bit of time."

"Ah, a Rhyme dragon. I haven't seen one of those in centuries." I got the impression of a nod. "Well it explains why you're so good with magic at least. And that girl is your master?" It asked.

I gave a nod. "She summoned me. I actually was kinda looking forward to it. Nice cushy job as a familiar, guess the dice just weren't in it for me." I mused. Then glanced back at him. "You've been rather quite until now."

"Ha." It laughed. "Just seeing what kind of man I signed on with. You had me thinking you were just some pencil pushing scholar."

I grunted. "I'd like to be." I weaved around a tree, and found myself in front of a good forty foot drop.

Too wide, it has to extend half a mile to either side. I wasn't about to waste that much time. "**Featherfall**" I cast out using the momentum I had built up to make the jump.

"Well you certainly don't act like one partner! Racing off to hunt demons." The sword countered as I landed on the other side.

"Scout." I replied, "We're scouting… for now. I need to know what were walking into. I figure at least a couple mid weights, likely Galbrezu, the feel of this reeks of one of their plots. There dangerous things, but he might have anything up to a Balor on retainer." I grimaced. "I'm not sure my odds against something like that."

"And you're charging in anyway? Doesn't sound like a very scholarly move to me." The sword countered amused.

"Scouting." I responded again, firmly. "I'm not going there to fight yet."

"Yet." The sword picked up. "So you are planning on fighting them!" it confirmed.

I didn't waste a breath on replying. "They'd take over this place like a plague. No way the locals could stop them once they get a foothold."

"Sound dangerous." He mused.

"Think elves, now image endless millions of them, and that they are all hyper aggressive, and complete sociopaths who need to destroy, maim, and kill like a man needs to eat, drink, and breath, image them being damn near impossible to kill, able to shrug off blows that would shatter reinforced walls to dust, and heal from most wounds, including dismembering, and having no need for sleep, breath, or food. That's what higher ranking demons are like. The weaker ones are just insanely powerful beasts with human level intelligence, and a number of supernatural tricks." I mused.

"Ouch." The sword stated. "So we better go stop them then."

"That's the plan." I replied, and then broke pace going much slower, I drew my shadow cloak around me. "Quite." I whispered, and rested a hand on Delfinger's hilt, as I darted into the shadows of an old fallen tree.

It was big… very big. About eight feet at its hunched over shoulders, at least that again wide and long, build like a great big silverback and one of those monster toads, pumped with enough steroids to give it arms the width of a man's chest. Brown, leathery skin, the kind that looked like a thick wall of rawhide that had been left to rot a few weeks, chewed up by the elements and passing creatures. Brass… components peaked out from areas the skin was stretched a bit too thin, or overlapped in small random patches of its skin, there shape so natural, so organic, or rather so twisted and warped, that you couldn't help but know them to be natural parts of the creature, and not prosthetics. Perhaps some sort of masochistic jewelry, embedding and replacing flesh just for the sake of it.

And the stench… the thing reeked like a half rotten corpse covered in sewage and lit on fire, only magnified a hundred times over. All things considered, that could very well be the inspiration of the odor.

It's mouth war open, thick human like tongue flicking up at its many rows of shark like teeth, it's impossibly huge forearms knuckling through the foliage, leaving imprints a grown man could curl up comfortably in.

Hezrou. Basic demonic muscle. The thug of the infinite abyss. It was just as strong as it looked, but that ratty hide was tougher then structural steel, and impressively magic resistant. Despite it being 'stupid' by the standards of most demons they averaged out an IQ around a hundred and twenty, and had all the cunning and experience countless millennia of constant torment and war could give. Mystically it could sling two good attack spells like they were going out of style, one I was immune to, one not so much, it could also teleport any time it felt like, anywhere it felt like, something I felt just plan wasn't fair. It could also potentially summon allies if I got it in a jam, and had two other tricks just in case, one was turning into a immaterial gas, the other an attack that would stun the strong, and kill the weak of any who heard it.

And it was trudging along right to the school.

By the god's I thought this guy was going to be subtle! How the hells did he manage to remain unknown if he was using things like _this_ for a probing strike?

Was it a trap? Maybe a sentry? Even with its ability to teleport there was no way it was going to manage to do anything all that subtle. Maybe it would turn around, some sort of patrol, or it was hunting for something to brutalize. Heck maybe Mott had one of his friends scry me, and this thing had been sent to intercept.

I remained still and hidden, waiting.

The demon just continued its pace, a wandering gate, in no particular rush.

I wasn't going to just let that thing get near anything I held in value. I didn't sense any trap, the creature didn't seem to be holding to any particular area…

Damn it, Fidelis could take that thing any day of the week, easier then I could likely. Logically I should just continue on, and avoid the potential trap, while trusting in my current ally to watch over my charges.

My hand tensed around the hilt, memories coming to me about these things, the horrors I had seen them do to their victims, the knowledge of what it [i]might[/i] do before the old mutt encountered it. It wasn't reasonable, Fidelis was no pup, he'd smell the thing coming a mile away, and he'd be ready for it. The whole thing screamed trap. It wasn't logical to engage now, when I should be getting information on the real threat, Mott.

I looked at the back of the creature still ambling by, the stench of its rot carrying over strongly, and watched it finally pick free whatever was sticking in its teeth, reaching up and plucking it from its mouth, a tiny bone, with elven eyes I could even make out it was a finger bone… just a very small one.

I clenched Delfinger harder. Fuck logic.

Shadow of Zero XLV

I called to shadows, I called **deep**, the cloak stole the sound from my feet, the light that would bring me to view, but I was still hidden only by the shadows cast by the tree line. It was roughly six o'clock, the shadows were cast long and deep, but the canopy wasn't as full as it could be, a lot of light was let through, enough that I had those cast by the trunks, and that was about it for reliability.

I had maybe one good shot before it was on me. Best make that one the one that counted.

"**Dimensional Anchor**" I intoned as a pale green beam lashed out from my outstretched fingers and struck the toad like creature square in the back. It let out a cry of surprise, as a shimmering green field formed out around it, and then whipped around to look for its attacker.

I shivered as its eyes sweeped right through me. I tapped Delfinger's hilt, once, twice, three times… it's eyes shifted off to the distance, far to the left…

I sprung.

Delfinger left his hilt in heartbeat as I began charging, "**Shield!**" I roared out a transparent plain of force forming.

The creature had all of a second before I was on it, and the ancient longsword lashed out and cut down its face, bursting its left eye, and opening a second set of lips crossing the first.

I almost blinked in shock. I was **not** that fast, or that strong. I mean heck, Delfinger might glow like a nova under detect magic, but he was still covered hilt to tip in rust.

A fist came in at me, and I found myself twisting out of its path on pure instinct.

Not my own mind you. I'm not stranger to a sword, but my style of combat revolved more around hacking violently for vital locations while tanking hits vea ether magic or draconic resilience.

You would be remarkably surprised exactly how many people are sufficiently surprised that a 'squishy mage' actually managed to survive the heavy blow they just landed on him, for me to get in a quick blow to the inner thigh, side, or knee.

Of course all this was typically more a side strategy to just staying at a range and bombarding the bastard with enough arcane firepower to level a good sized building.

But like it or not this guy was most certainly going to be the 'small fry' of what I was likely to fight. I needed the big stuff for later, and the little stuff wasn't going to get through this hide.

But Delfinger certainly seemed to be doing the job.

The fist clipped me and I spun with the blow, landing on my side with a grunt, and then pushing myself back up in a flash. The fallow up punch crashed into my shield, and I lashed out, cutting into its wrist, and severing the connecting tendons to its hand.

Not that that'd slow it down long.

I diverted the shield up furiously as that shark like maul came crashing down at my face, and the other fist came out at me in time.

Frankly I rated my luck better with the treestumps it called arms, rather than a set of teeth the size of cutting knives, in a mouth big enough to envelop the entirety of my upper torso.

Delf came up and caught the fist with the edge of his blade, cutting halfway into his fingers as it shoved me back.

I felt the shadows slide back over me, and dove to the side.

A thunderous crash echoed out as both fists came crashing right down were I was moments later, leaving a set of foot deep dents.

To the nine hells with draconic durability, if I took one of those directly, I'd be feeling it for weeks. Healing magic factored in.

I dove forward into the next shadow three feet in front of me, while it was distracted, and spent a second feeling my side… still to numb with adrenaline to actually tell the damage, but I was breathing relatively fine, so I figured I could work on patchwork later. I moved, holding breath slow with a surge of effort.

It was **pissed**. For some reason or another, its injuries were not regenerating. I spared a glance at Delfinger… and noticed how the runes on my hand were glowing bright neon green.

Ok, strength and speed question solved… but I was shining a light when my stealth was built entirely on shadows.

Note to self, invest in gloves.

Its eyes turned on me, and I wondered how the hell it had missed me before. Maybe the runes had lined up with a bright patch behind them?

No time for thought. It came at me, and I burnt another spell on a gamble. "**Mirror image.**"

I split to five, and jumped in different directions, looking to flank it with… well myself. Three to my left, one to my right.

I lucked out. It crushed the two closest to my left, while I circled.

A lot of outsiders could see through illusions like they weren't even there, it's why I went with the sure thing on my first charge. But it looked like this one didn't, well that was a relief, still I couldn't afford to waste too much power on this guy.

My doubles didn't dispel when they took the hit, they split up and one charged to me, the other I directed to the furthest left flanker, we remerged, and split again, even as all five of us in synch hacked for its throat at two points.

It raised both hands to block and Delfinger dug into its mangled wrist, hacking deeper in from the other side. My other hand pointing down at his legs.

But that wasn't what I had been after. Both its arms were now up by its head, and while this guy could stand on two legs, I was willing to bet he wasn't to stable on them. He was built like a silverback, all leaned over, and cubed. It was more efficient for distributing all that muscle. But not all that good when you had to work outside of that bent over posture.

Now the guy weighted a solid eight hundred pounds or so. No way in hell I could trip him normally, spiffy magic boost or not.

But as it stood, his left foot was on a good child sized stone.

And I had a hand free.

I gave five identical very evil smirks as I called formed and cast right in time with my strike. "**Shatter**"

The stone exploded, and the Hezrou toppled to its side.

It caught itself fast, but as its arms lashed down, Delfinger slid free, and I twisted around with grace not my own, building momentum in a flash, and striking down in a cut that was overly flashy, slow, and left my wide open.

Frankly in any other circumstance I'd never use it, spiffy magic boot or no. But as it stood I needed the momentum, and the bastard was wide open.

Delfinger rusty edge cut deep into its throat, lodging in place halfway into the front of its spine.

A hand flew up and knocked me flying, further messing up it's almost entirely severed neck. I groaned, and my head rung.

I heard a thump, and rolled to the side.

A fist crashed down right where I was moments before. The creature letting out a gurgling cry that was not quite roar, not quite death rattle.

Right… demon. Why did I think something like the severing of a good four fifths of its neck would slow it down at all?

I was in shadows, and I hurt, a lot. Definitely hurt some ribs by this point. If I really was an elf I would have been paste a few times over.

As it was, I was seriously considering just defaulting to the old teleport away and firebomb strategy. As it stood, I was going to have to dump a lot of power into fixing myself up after this mess.

Hells with it. I pointed a finger. "**Fireball.**"

A glowing bead of power lashed out, burning bright white with heat, before it impacted into its side.

A hell storm kicked up right around it, a perfect twenty foot sphere of completely contained flames, burning hotter than napalm could ever hope to.

It lasted only a moment, a heartbeat, barely even a full second, but the results spoke for themselves.

The ground was glass, raw and molten, and right in the middle sinking into it was the Hezrou letting out a gurgling cry all its own. Large arms, half burnt through, lashed out to either side, trying to pull itself free.

It's legs were pretty much gone, they had been smaller, thinner, and hadn't had the raw mass need to survive the sudden burst of heat.

It's chest was a mess, the outer layer of skin singed free by the heat, and those fancy brass bits were now melting their way down it's ruined form.

It let out another sound more of rage then pain. Oddly the searing heat seemed to actually improve it's ability to vocalize, and eyeless sockets locked down at me.

I fought down the urge to shiver. I freaking hate demons. I don't think I can really say that enough. Nothing else pulls messed up crap like this on you.

Well except the undead, but you kinda expected things like that from animated corpses.

It was on its last legs, lame, and in a rapidly cooling pool of molten glass.

Only one thing left to do really. I waited a few moments, and then held out my hand.

"**Shatter.**"

Shadow of Zero XLVI

I confirmed the thing was well and truly dead, finished, cutting its head off, and watched the blasted thing dissolve back into the ether. Now that it was well and done, I set back on the path to town, getting maybe ten good paces until I damned near puked my guts out.

I kept my breakfast down, but it wasn't an easy thing.

I've said before that I'm not really a fighter. I'm not. I hate fighting to a degree that's hard to explain. The fear of it, the brutal way it shifts from one side to another. There is no beauty in real combat, no grace, glory, or nobility. It's a savage ugly thing that scars you up something deep, until you just couldn't feel it anymore. People love to watch violence, but no were near as many actually enjoyed participating, not when they really knew what was happening.

I had dominated that fight from start to finish, and as I worked a basic healing cantrip over time and time again, I noted I had walked away from it relatively unscathed. Almost all my big spells were still ready to draw, I had only a few aches and pains to worry over, but was still mostly combat effective, and had now tested Delfinger in combat to remarkable success.

It was sickening on a level I can't properly explain. Being in a one sided fight is terrifying if you're the guy being ripped to shreds, but it'll cut you up in an entirely different way if you're the guy who's dealing the hurt.

I didn't want to do this. I never did, I knew that thing was pure evil in a very literal sense. I knew what it would have done, could have done if I had left it alone, but that didn't change the fact I had just destroyed another creature in a hideously brutal, messy, and painful manner.

I shivered openly, shakes of shock both physical and mental, and then pulled myself back together before I descended any further. No time to angst on stuff as petty as banishing a demon. It's not like it was even really dead. When you killed outsiders, they had a remarkable tendency to just go home, no matter the method of their calling. This was especially true with both demons and devils.

I shook my head again, and drug the rest of my head into the game. The town wasn't far now. There I could pick up the trail and track it to Mott's place.

"You alright there partner?" the sword asked from across my back. I had made sure to wipe it clean, using my own shirt sleeve, most of the rust had come away with the blood, revealing perfect, gleaming steel. Even the sheath now looked in better repair.

I gave it a glance. "Fine… Just hate dealing with blasted demons… bastards never drop."

"Don't have much a stomach for it?" the blade questioned, almost disappointedly.

"Getting one… don't exactly want one though." I admitted with a grunt. I didn't like violence, but everywhere I went I seemed to find it. "I ever tell you about my homeland?" I questioned.

"No." came the simple answer, no real curiosity, but not in a tone that told me to 'shut up' ether. I still had a good ten minutes before I hit the town front, might as well play story teller for a bit. "Right, I spent the basic majority of my time there un a place known as 'The underdark.' It's where I was born; it's where I was before I got summoned here…"

I talked for pretty much the rest of the trip, still keeping pace. Spell slingers typically did not have the best constitutions out there, but part of the basics was learning how to vocalize on the move. Once you've gotten down the right breathing techniques, it really doesn't burn much more energy then moving normally.

We were almost halfway there when I smelt something strong. Smoke… burning wood… and flesh.

I knew that smell. I had put it off to the demon's stench before now, but we were far clear of where it was, and this was so much stronger. I felt a ping within me, and my eyes widened.

"**Expeditious Retreat!**" I barked at once, my land speed doubling as I surged towards the hillside, looking up I saw trails of smoke, and a dread pit formed in my stomach. "No." I muttered through a hurried breath. "No no no!"

I cleared the tree line… and saw hell.

The smoke was rising from dozens of buildings, bodies all shredded and maimed were hewn across the street. Not many, not enough, I strained my ears to listen beyond the crackling of the fires.

There… voices, screams, and yells, roars and bellows. The fight wasn't over!

To the nine hells with it. I released the spell holding me in human form and roared out an echoing challenge. Billowing wings wide as they clapped down full force. Derringer slipped from my shoulder, and I caught him in my foreclaw, runes burning to life once more, I burst over the roof tops in a surge of speed.

Clearing a billow of smoke, I saw the battlefield. Hot ash searing against the membrane of my wings in a painful, but tolerable manner.

Large stone walls formed barriers, humans, both noble and commoner. Some of the defending nobles were lashing out with wind and fire, golems of a dozen makes fought a desperate battle to keep the hordes back, while plain clothed men and women fired suspiciously similar bows into their ranks.

The demons were crushing through all of it. There was a Glabrezu at the fore, it's body a twisted amalgamation of man, wolf, and crab, directing forces. Half a dozen more Hezrou were holding as a living wall of flesh and blood, shielding a trio of dancing vulture like Vrock circles, a forth in the middle of forming up, while more Dretches then I could make out though the smoke and fire, crashed with the defending forces. I caught a glimpse of a Babau running across a rooftop, moving to flank.

I didn't have any time to think, only react.

I gripped Delfinger as best as I could with a dragon's hand. Somehow I held him in a firm grasp. The other hand lashed out. "**Fireball!**"

Shadow of Zero XLVII

I dove down hard and fast, the speed spell I had cast in elven form magnifying my already impressive rate of movement to downright insane levels. Swinging low I opened my maul, sucked in a breath, and _**breathed**_ ash like smoke surging out in a strafing strike, the potent negative energy sweeping down over the first two groups of vrocks, even as the fireball slammed into the third, clipping the last, exploding with a bright nova of power.

I succeeded in shattering pretty much all of them.

Unleashing my aura of terror full force I roared challenge, swinging lower and lashing out with Delfinger to cut one of the Hezrou's heads in half.

The Glabrezu uttered a word, and I felt my muscles freeze in place, crashing down into the ground. Good thing I was already so low or that would have hurt a lot more. As it stood the speed of the crash resulted in a broken right wing, and a scream of pain from me.

Righting myself, I lashed out and disarmed the other Hezrou that came into range, Delfinger's blade, backed by my now unrestrained strength and the power of the runes on my hand, more than sufficient to cleave right through the blocky limb.

It lunged with its teeth, and I struck fast and low, my own fangs digging into its throat and rending, my other hand lashing into its armpit and ripping to rend the other limb useless.

A wing lashed out and crashed into the now disabled toad beast to the ground like a warhammer, knocking it on its back.

My tail sweeped, and knocked a approaching Vrock prone, and I roared another challenge loud and clear.

The Dretches, miserable things that they were, were fleeing now. Unfortunately it seemed most of the humans were equally stunned. Good, that'd keep the attention down on me.

No less than three bolts of darkened mist lashed out for me, asynchronies firing, most of the creatures were still shaken. Unfortunately for me that only made it harder to avoid.

Wiping my tail back around I threw the captured Vrock into one of the bolts, it let out a squawk of surprise, but wasn't really harmed at all by the attack. My good wing pumped and I swung to the side, avoiding the other, the third clipped me, and I was forced to fight down a surge of nausea as the 'unholy blight' worked its way through my system.

I spewed, but not vomit. Another wave of draining ash crashed out and enveloped the two other Hezrou, and several other Vrock, all gathering around the big wolfen form of the Glabrezu. The commander still standing untouched by all the chaos. It looked at me spitefully, and then spat another word, and I felt my speed spell shatter.

"Hey hey Partner!" Delfinger called out. "We should take out that big thing before it can rally up the troops!"

I agreed, though I didn't verbalize it. I couldn't waste a breath here; I needed every one as a weapon.

I cut out a returning vrock and eyed the creature. It had shifted its front amicably, and now had a wall of meat between us. It and the two remaining toads began a random bombardment of more 'blight' spells, keeping me from charging.

Damn it I couldn't lose momentum! I charged, crashing through the spells, fighting them off with a mix of spell resistant scales, and toughened constitution, shoring it up with a spell of my own. "**Bear's Endurance!**"

I barely felt the next hit, and they seemed to realize that the tactic wasn't going to work anymore. I crushed right through the foot shoulders on three legs, Delfinger striking at everything in range.

A sudden sharp pain stabbed into my side, and I twisted to look.

One of the Babau had just shot me with a freaking bow. One of the ones the defenders were using.

Though fortunately for me, that same act seemed to kick a few of the humans back into action, as it was promptly pincushioned.

I roared again, and the Glabrezu spat something in its own foul tongue.

There was a ripple, and then every demon seemed to implode on themselves. Realizing they were pulling a retreat, I went for the wounded, and made to finish off everything I could.

I didn't get the chance.

Two weights crashed down onto my back. One hacking at my damaged wing with scythe like claws, the other going for my neck.

I screamed in indignation, pain, and rage, flailing hard and whipping around to tear off the babau on my lower back's head off. I earned a cut to my face for the trouble. The long scalpel sharp blades barely missing my face.

I surged and bit regardless, ridding me of one unwanted passenger, The other was knocked lose when my good wing battered him off.

A sharp pain struck me in the chest, and I jumped back, only to feel anchored in placed by two strong arms, and two stronger claws. One crab like pincer doing its best to dig its way into my chest.

I heard more than felt one of my ribs snap, then roared as I brought Delfinger down hard on the offending limb, rending it off its owner in a brutal strike.

Damned dog fainted me out! The back swing of the sword was strong, but not fast enough. The wolf like demon teleported before the potent blade had a chance to taste more of its flesh.

"**Deeper Darkness!**" I roared, and at once the wide dome of absolute shadow enveloped me, my innate affinity for darkness, allowing me to blend further in concealing me from even the trueseeing eyes of my current foe.

Judging by the sound on the other side of the barrier most of the demons had teleported behind the barricade. The reason they hadn't done it in the beginning escaped me.

I charged, jumped and pumped my good wing, landing mostly up on the high wall, then over it with a kick.

Damned thing I need to buy a moment to fix it, but by the looks of things I wasn't going to get that any time soon.

They had mixed in with the defending forces, clever; it prevented me from braking out my more potent area of effect attacks.

Well two could play at that game. "**Major image!**" I called out.

The number of defenders doubled, and then tripled, each visibly as real as the next. Yeah the big guy could see through them, but I was willing to bet most of his mooks couldn't. And he'd ether be tied up telling them what was real, or…

I felt the spell fall as the Glabrezu dispelled it again, and used the effect to lock onto its location. I shifted through the darkness, teleporting the gap into the shadows beside him.

The demon was quick to put its head on the swivel. It was nursing its ruined pincer with one claw, likely wondering why exactly the wound wasn't healing yet. He'd noticed I had disappeared alongside the illusion.

He didn't notice me on time. I brought Delfinger right down on his head, cutting into his jaw, and digging a diagonal cut right through his neck, finally wedging the potent blade down around half way through his left shoulder blade.

Not wasting time I punched it with my free claw into the open, the body already dissolving, then stepped forth and let out another roar.

It drew attention, always did, and once the main force noted that there leader was in the moment of returning home, most of them decided that digression might be the better part of valor.

Those that didn't, didn't last long after.

Shadow of Zero XLVIII

Owe. Ok that was basically the best way to sum up how I was feeling at the moment. Broken wing, minor singing all over, jagged hole halfway dug into my chest that was bleeding rather badly, and varying depth lacerations across by back and neck.

I twisted around and went into the painful process of setting my own wing. Dragging the thing halfway across the battlefield had not done it any favors, and moving it was pure agony. Ever dislocate your knee all on your lonesome, and had to pop the thing back into place? Same basic idea, only with more blood.

I dumped a cure critical on myself and felt the bone nit back together. Not exactly perfect, but close enough that I could fly a short distance if I absolutely had to… also my chest stopped bleeding. I debated hiding before changing back, but went against it. This secret was as good as blown the next time someone saw me use Delfinger. He was rather distinctive after all.

"[b]Polymorph self.[/b]" I muttered and grimaced as my body bargain to shift. I used the brief opportunity to force closed a few injuries, not much, but it helped. I grimaced as I looked at the still cheering townsfolk. There were a lot of wounded here… and a lot of dead.

Better see to lessening one number and keeping the other from growing.

I used drow form, fortunately the shadow cloak kept most people from noticing… the few that did, well a sharp look, and the fact I ripped through the demons that were beating them like a heated knife through butter aided them in keeping their mouths shut.

At least for now.

I had no doubt that news would travel, and rumors would include my point eared persona. In truth I wanted it to happen… eventfully.

I worked mostly on curing disease and poison, the local water mages did more of the muscle in healing actual injuries. There wasn't a lot that could be done, most who had taken a blow fell to it, the 'lucky' ones to only be grazed tended to have ether lost a limb, or become infected by the blasted spores that the vrocks had been throwing around like they were running out of style. There had been some poison from the babau's but mostly the assassins had struck ether a lethal blow or not attacked at all, typical tactics for the slender fiends.

A noble came up to me, I noted he was one of the ones to take a wound, his hand a bloody stump. Blond and gray hair, hard brown eyes, and deep worry lines, alongside laugh lines. I pegged him as former military, maybe late fifties. He carried himself well for someone missing there left hand. The pain bugged him, but he was doing his best not to show it.

I looked to him, well up at him, the man was over six feet high, "Do you think you'll be alright on your own?" I questioned quickly. I still had a job to do.

It caught him off guard. "You aren't staying?" he questioned.

I shook my head. "They might come back if they have time to recover. Need to cut them off at the source."

His eyes narrowed. "You know what those were." He stated at once bringing his already present guard up to full strength.

I gave a nod. "Tanar'ri. Demons." I stated concisely. "Keep range, don't assume there dead until the body starts to fade, and strike with concentrated force, it takes a lot of power to brute force through there hide." I summarized.

"I gathered." He stated dryly. "What the hell is an elf doing out here?" He asked.

I gave a nod to the academy. "My master." I stated in as vague and mysterious a voice as I could. "I need to go. Assistance would be welcome, but not needed." Most of my lower level magic was spent, and my higher ranking charges were down to roughly a third of a tank.

"Cut the shit." He said sharply. "What the hell is going on?"

Inwardly I grinned; I could definitely work with this, not give away much, and still possibly get some fire support out of this.

Outwardly I gave a small slight frown. "A local mage, Mott, has pacted with outsiders, creatures from beyond this world. The demons." I explained crisply. "I sensed their taint on him earlier and moved to investigate, I found one of their scouts outside, and then found you." I explained simply. "Now that I'm here, finding him shouldn't be much of a problem."

"You're going to attack?" he asked a bit dubious.

"The demons are the weapon, but it's wiser to attack the archer, not the arrow, is it not?" I asked slipping in false amusement. "If we take out the binder, the remaining fiends might disperse back to the abyss. Even if they don't they'll become less coordinated, easier to sweep up."

He clenched his fist. "You need help?"

"Maybe." I looked out at the people. "This is likely the best chance to take the offensive. Even if he was holding back his main force, he'll have lost resources. Depending on what he has at home I might be able to deal with them on my own." Then again I might not… I didn't let that show. I'd let him make the choice unbiased. "It _will_ be dangerous, anyone who comes with me faces significant risk."

"But you _might_ need the help." He muttered in the exact same tone.

I was silent for a moment, then nodded. "You held them off. Earth mages in particular could be used to call up walls, box them off for me to round up and take off. Keep them from outmaneuvering me.

He clenched his fist again, and then looked at me. "We need men to protect everyone here."

I considered it, and then decided to kill two birds with one stone. "Take them to the Academy. Seek my master, Louise de La Vallière, she can send me aid, provided someone can act as guide."

This it seemed was much more acceptable for the man. He gave a nod. "Good idea, the Academy's a fortress. We can get much better shelter there."

I considered something. "Wait… don't send help for me." I corrected at once. That first demon had been headed to the academy. Maybe…

I felt for the alarm spell, still untouched. It hadn't sent any signals, and seemed intact, still I tensed.

He shot me a look.

"They might go for it. Better force was there to hold the line while I'm away." I realized something. "I just realized I don't even know your name." I mused, a slight smirk of bitter amusement.

He offered a look at that.

"Levethix'moxt." I stated holding out a hand.

He eyed it for a moment, and then took it, firm grip on him. "Jean de Gramont." He informed me. Then gave another nod. "And I think I should come with you."

I shot him a look, eyebrow raised.

He shrugged his good shoulder, and gave a real lady-killer smile. Guy must have been swimming in women when he was younger. "You need the help right? I can't in good conscious let a man who helped us in time of need, go wanting in his own." He raised an eyebrow. "Besides. You could use a skilled earth mage, you said so yourself."

I thought on it, and then nodded. "You sure your people will not need you?" I questioned.

He looked out at them. "Maybe, but where they will need me I feel is the more important question." He gave me a strong look. "I think that might be with you."

I considered it… I did need the help…

I gave the nod. "Alright… tell me Gramont, are you any good at riding?"

He grinned in response.

Shadow of Zero XLXI

I lent Gramont my 'ring of bone' explaining that'd render him immune to some of my nastier area of effect attacks, while I slipped my own ring of regeneration in place.

Honestly I really should have done that before I charged the demonic hordes. Fighting really was not my strong suite.

Though apparently it was something I was good enough at to try _this_.

What the hell was I thinking? I should just call Fidelis in, and get the old Mutt to help me sweep the place.

But what if something else arrived to attack the academy…

I eyed the sky, darkness was nearly on us. "Right, here's the plan, we're going to take our time getting there, I can use shadows to blend into my surroundings, once it hits night, the two of us can sweep in unseen, and get a read on their numbers. If there are too many, we'll pull a raid and then head back to the others. If I think we can take them, we'll go right for Mott before he has a chance to pull anything else."

He nodded, "I like it, nice and simple." He was acting a lot better now that I had dumped a cure light wounds into him, sealing up his hand. Honestly if I found the time I'd have to see about crafting a prosthesis or maybe just fixing it if I managed to figure out sixth circle spells in time. Maybe if he allowed it, I could turn him into a starfish for a short stay, I had yet to find an injury that that form couldn't recover from. I'd be using it myself later to heal up the little things.

I considered something, and then shrugged of my coat. "And wear this. It'll help you blend in around you. Keep you hidden.

He eyed me curiously, taking in my features, before accepting it. "Bit creepy of a thing isn't it?" he questioned, never the less sliding it on.

I rolled my eyes. "It's effective. And the enchantments on it damned near cost me an ar-" Woh back up there, bad taste in that. "-a small fortune." I substituted.

He eyed the cloth with slightly more respect. "Truly?"

I gave a nod, "It'll also blunt an incoming strike a bit, not as good as real armor, but better then riding leathers. It'll help you move silently as well."

He eyed it speculatively again. "Rather useful for an assassin." He mused.

"Or just someone looking to hide." I countered. "It should serve you well for making a nuisance of yourself from cover."

He gave that quick tight grin of his again. "That it will. Let us play at being assassins then."

"Oh I like him partner." Delfinger commented.

I shot the blade a look.

"Hold on tight." I informed him. "Don't worry about choking me, or tugging out my hair, I'm tougher than any horse you've ever ridden." Turning to face the direction the earth magus had pointed, I released the spells hold, and were once was a short Drow man, now stood a serpentine dragon.

I turned a crimson eye to him, and noted again he was apprising me, noting my claws and tail more than anything.

"I've never seen a dragon like that." He mused.

I snorted. "Local breed to my homeland. I find the breath weapon useful, and as I said, very hard to see at night."

"I can imagine." He mused again, noting that I was mildly transparent.

He holstered himself up with minimal assistance, and once I felt he had a good hold, I unveiled my wings. Catching Delfinger in hand, I gave a quick downbeat, and lifted myself up. The runes glowed, and again I reminded myself I needed to get a glove of some sort as soon as possible, likely should have back at town, blast it.

We hit a mild cursing speed, right over the tree line, I kept low, and for the most part silent, the main road to Mott's manor was in sight… well my sight. A dragon's eyes are more akin to a bird's then a mans, we can see fourfold further then most humans, and pick out fine details more easily as well, though that part has more to do with our brain structure I wager. It might explain why we tended to over obsess on the fine points of everything so much.

The sun was nearly down. "How far?" I asked aloud, angling my head back to catch Gramont's view.

"Half a mile!" he yelled back.

I bit out a curse, and then swung around to circle a bit, eyeing the sky again. Wasting time… I hated wasting time.

Best find use for it then. Alright, let's get Fidelis up to date. I called power and shaped it. "**Whispering Winds:** _Ocuira'slathalina kothar persvek taoul, gahri shafaer ossalur'ekess'wux, irlym jedarkic jikmadator, si'ossalur ekess lowd irlym, jilg wyogale, nomagqe lowd ossalur'ekess'wux._" Engaged demons in town, survivors on route, enemy forces badly depleted, I am moving to attack, hold ground, potential attack headed your way.

The spell discharged, and I felt it brake out towards the academy. The road to Mott's manor moved closer to the Academy then had me comfortable, but it did bring me in under twelve miles, the maximum range I could stretch out that spell without burning much more magic then I could likely afford to.

I'm not sure if it reached or not. This was the very edge of my range, but I couldn't risk firing it off any closer, the demons might sense it.

I felt a familiar sensation flush over my skin. The sun had fallen. "Alright." I called back. "Were going in."

"About time." He called ahead; I don't think flying agreed with him much.

I pumped my wings harder, and raced down the road, gaining a bit more air so I could glide the majority of the distance, this needed to be as silent an approach as possible after all.

The stench hit me as we got within a quarter mile. The same blasted thing, rotting human flesh, and burnt skin and hair. I got a bit more air, a lot more, and then went into my shallow dive.

I could see Mott's manor, still intact, and pristine, but out front of it stood two large pyres, a mess of burning wood, flesh, and bone. I heard screams and saw a young man dragged to the one on the left, before he was thrown in by a gleeful Babau.

Damn it! I knew there hadn't been enough survivors or dead! Why didn't I factor in prisoners?

"My god." Gramont uttered a quick prayer. "We have to stop them." I urged.

I grit my teeth; this would ruin any semblance of stealth. We'd have to fight our way all the way to Mott himself.

But the man was right. I couldn't let this happen.

"I'll land to the side, once I do, close off the fires, and set up basic walls around the prisoners, leave them room to run, otherwise the demons will just teleport into them and turn them into carnal houses." I eyed the forced. "If you have anything left, send golems to retrieve the prisoners, and get them out of there, but do not lead them directly to you. No matter what keep some juice in you. You can't afford to be helpless out there. I'll scatter the fiends, as best as I can, and keep them from perusing."

"I understand! Get us to ground!" he barked agreement as quietly as he could.

I swung low, and hit the ground running. Twisting to the side and slowing down for a moment. The moment I felting Gramont slide off my back, I charged again at full speed, coming in from the side, and waiting for a signal.

Large fences of earth shot up around both pyres right before the sadistic creatures threw in another one.

That was it. Wasting no more time I charged, roaring out challenge, Delfinger's sheath thrown across my back as I wielded naked steel.

The demons froze, almost universally, and I took the opportunity to cut the babau's head off.

The fight of Mott's manor was on.

Shadow of Zero L

I turned one of the Hezrou into a newt, and called up a quartet of illusionary doubles.

Then I added a bit more chaos to the mix. "**Summon Monster V**" I roared, as I began strobing both myself and my copies in and out of the visual spectrum and a trio of bright glowing orbs formed around me, before they spiraled up and started laying down divine suppression fire.

Some of the fiends were shaking off the effects of my aura; I hit them with a breath attack, careful to keep the blanket effect from falling onto the huddled groups of prisoners.

Walls surged up around them, and I grinned a wide draconic grin. Good, time to cut lose. I phased into view and spat a spell "**Fireball!**" I shouted turning one wall half molten and badly roasting the demons to the side of it, I crashed through into it in a flurry of claws, fangs, wings, blade and tail.

Something scratched my back, I knocked it into the slowly resolidifying wall, with a tail sweep, then bit the head off a dretch, Delfinger parried a huge toad like fist, and I backhanded the demonic thug hard enough to knock lost a bunch of its dagger like teeth.

Flaring wings I gave a sharp down thrust, kicking the face in of something that tried to grab my lower leg.

I let shadows embrace me, my doubles flickering in and out of view giving phantom attacks alongside my real ones. A mess of absolute chaos surging up as the demons desperately sot to determine which was the real dragon and which was the fake, they lashed through copies, and flinched from phantom blades, FUD taking its full ugly hold.

I felt it time to add a bit more chaos to the pot. "**Mirage Arcana**" more walls surged up, in and out of view, forming a massive labyrinth, of immaterial barriers, the Lantern Archons still dancing about, shooting there little deadly rays.

I called up two more, then dove into my maze and began cutting into the disoriented and agitated demons.

Some began running through the walls, realizing they weren't real, only to run head first into material ones, as Gramont seemed to take this as cue to ad real walls to my false ones.

I heard a clanking of armored feat, and grinned. We were actually doing it!

Then my illusion failed, and I felt my throat go dry.

A Glabrezu marched ahead, flanked by two more Hezrou. But that's not what had me worried.

A short distance behind the approaching beasts was another fiend, waiting in the threshold of the manor with Mott, it was long, red, serpentine form, terminating in the form of an unearthly beautiful woman with six arms. She was clad only in a brief weapons harness formed of jagged chain, and every one of her sensually clawed hands held a heavy brutal, weapon.

A Marilith.

I noted her armament, heavy flail, heavy pick, scimitar, a warhammer, and this small odd curved blade, a kukri knife if I recalled the name right.

But it was the last one that made my heart damn near skip a beat. The sword looked like a bolt of fire forged to a blade, larger than the rest, oversized for the comparatively slight form of the high demoness holding it.

A balor's vorpal sword.

I did not want to consider how she got her hands on such a weapon. Hell I didn't want to get near that thing period.

Dragons like me have a bad history with such blades. Just ask the Jabberwocky.

I reacted on instinct, pointing my hand out at her. "**Dimensional Anchor!**"

The glabrezu counterspelled it just like my illusion, and I suddenly had both hezrou charging right down at me. I flipped Delfinger into a knife grip, the blade feeling much more natural held in that manner, given the size difference, and prepared to hold my ground.

A wall shot up between us, and both toads crashed into it, there momentum ruined by the impact.

Blight spells, and earthen projectiles were launched out at me from both higher ranking demons, as I stabbed the first of the hezrou in the face, rending him out through the top of its head, giving a full strike into the other.

That was all the glabrezu needed as an opening to port in right behind me and bring both pincers down on my wings.

The bones snapped, and I let out a cry of pain, tail sweeping him off his feat. He struck at my hind legs, and I barely jumped the swipe.

The Marilith appeared flanking me, just as I twisted to face the wolf like beast, and only a timely bombardment by my summons saved me from a quick beheading. She lashed out again with it in a quick cross cut, the heated edge going right for my long venerable throat.

I lashed out with Delfinger, the speed of the runes all that kept me from the closest shave of my life. His edge struck the vorpal blade in a violent shower of sparks, and he let out a cry of rage.

The flail hit me out of nowhere, crashing down on my sword arm's shoulder. The limb went numb, but somehow, I jumped to the side, avoiding the rest of the strikes. Damn it!

The glabrezu got back to its feet. It unleashed another blight on me, and unbalanced as I was, I was forced to take it.

The sickening effects of the magic blurred my vision, and the Marilith didn't hesitate to take the opening, her scimitar slicing out my right eye, as both pick and knife dug into my side and chest.

I let out a bellow and kicked her off me.

The glabrezu rushed me and knocked me to the side, one pincer going for my throat, the other pinning my good arm. Both squeezed.

I tried to let out a scream, tried namely as I was being choked to death at the moment.

The Marilith came over, and brought her sword high, three of her other weapons sheathed so she could hold the weapon in four hands.

The sword came down on my neck.

And bounced off it.

There was a moment of confusion, on all parts, then my tail lashed out and sweeped the glabrezu of it's feet again. Its pincers drew jagged lines on both limb and neck but I was lose. I dug deep in my will and teleported again, appearing by where I left Gramont. He had most of the prisoners with him, there was only seven of them, three children.

I couldn't carry that many in a teleport.

I looked Gramont with my eye. "I can only carry take one with the kids. Two if they're small" I uttered, throat ragged.

He shoved the youngest two onto me, alongside the kids. "Go!" he ordered.

"I'll be back!" I told him, calling more power. "Just hold on a few seconds!" and then triggered the spell. "**Teleport!**" I growled out.

I flashed into place back in Louise's room. Still in dragon form, still mangled by the fight.

Everyone screamed, the children were crying. The small woman and teenage boy, who I had brought with them, were swaying on their feet from teleport nausea.

Siesta screamed.

"Fidelis!" I called out, throat still raw. I had to have nicked it. "Fidelis get over here now!"

A large dog surged into view; it's all to intelligent eyes locked with my remaining one. "I left some behind! We have to go now."

It's back hunched and it ran into my reach.

I touched it, and pulled to the majority of my remaining magic. "**Teleport!**"

I heard a voice call out in panicked recondition "Famil-!"

And then the world disappeared.

And we reappeared in the middle of a nightmare.


	6. Those Who Fight And Run Away

Those who fight and run away…

Shadow of Zero LI

They found them, and I cursed my slowness, there was the head of one of the prisoners nearby, a ruined golem. I listened, and heard battle. "The blond man." I got out. "The one with one hand, protect him." I fought for breath. It was not exactly easy to breath after two rapid fire teleports with injuries like these.

I got to my feat, forcing down the nausea. I had tanked about six 'unholy blights' so far, and more instances of transport magic then I cared to think about at the moment. The effects while not directly cumulative had been battering on me repeatedly, and if I had depth perception at the moment I was pretty sure I would have been cross eyed.

Damn it, no choice then. "**Cure Moderate Wounds**"

Skin restiched, bones fused, and sinew tightened back into place. My wings all but locked back into their proper place and I let out a choked out scream. At least the ring made sure they went into the proper place this time. I flexed them, and blinding pain surged down. Great, all I did is turn a catastrophic fracture into a hairline one. No chance in hell they'd be supporting weight. I folded them back, and took stock of the situation, head infinitely clearer with that load off my back.

My right eye was still blind, my throat wasn't gushing anymore, and the lightheadedness bloodless brought had eased up. The whole in my chest was pretty much sealed; wings were a mess but no longer an active negative. My sword arm… I flexed it, workable.

I looked for the sound of combat, and moved.

Now darastrix'sjach do not have a lot of claims to fame compared to some of our brethren. We are small for dragons, physically weaker and less robust than most, we spend a lot of time underground so our flying speed is far from impressive and unlike others doesn't ever really improve all that much as we age and grow bigger.

But we are smart little devils, easily on par with silvers or golds in regards to mental might. We are easily the sneakiest members of our kin as well, with numerous abilities to allow us to outmaneuver or hide from threatening foes.

And for all that our airspeed suffers for our habitat of choice, our land speed gains from it.

On a good day I can outrun a thoroughbred race horse at a dead sprint, and unlike the horse I could hold that speed for hours on end.

I charged the location like a hound of hell, ironic, considering I was about to clash with one of said hounds most common enemies.

Fidelis had his sword out. A big gleaming thing of cold iron forged and wrought with more magic then metal. He was holding off the Marilith with a grace and skill that would leave the best mortal swordsmen in history weeping with envy.

Now I might not like the guy much, but I'd give the old mutt credit. He's freaking scary as hell when he's doing his paladin thing, all righteous fury and divine wrath. The fact that the snake was missing an arm, had taken a sallow cut to the chest, and was giving ground, while all she had managed to tag him with was a light cut to the forearm, kinda hammered down that point.

I tagged the bitch with a dimensional anchor for petty spite, and then moved on. Her curses at my daily activities, favored foods, ancestry and sexual preferences (all in the same line… abyssal is a _really_ good language to curse in), were music to my ears, giving me a much needed moral boost.

I spotted Gramont, he had taken a bad hit to the side, and was on the ground, three of his golems were holding off the glabrezu.

Well they were trying to.

Apparently whatever mix of metals made up there structure contained enough iron to hurt the thing, but it was a losing battle, one was already missing am arm, and had a crippled leg. Another was missing its head, though this didn't seem to be hindering it at all, while the third was disarmed, and forced to really on its fists.

Judging by the shivering form of Gramont he and how he was visibly fighting for consciousness, I doubt it'd be getting anything else to work with.

The demon hit the headless one with a chaos hammer, rending it to scrap, the other two filling in the gap before it could charge through.

I plowed into the side of the wolf like a battering ram crashing into your typical light wooden fence. Knocking it to the ground for what had to be the third time that day, teeth clamping down on it's face as I shoved Delfinger right into its chest. I wrenched the blade to the side and unleashed my breath weapon point blank.

The glabrezu _screamed_. It wasn't anger, it wasn't surprise, and it was simple outright pain and fear.

I wrenched the blade further, and then pulled it free, breaking the thing's neck with a violent jerk.

I turned to Gramont, he gave me a look, exasperated, but relived… then he passed out.

The golems collapsed.

"Vobit!" I was over at his side in a moment, checking the injury. It was bad; the thing clipped him in the kidney, organ damage. "**Cure Moderate Wounds!**"

The wound sealed up, but he still looked pale, still definitely hurt. "Xsiol! Hold together man! **Cure Moderate Wounds! Cure Light Wounds!**" I was running dry, my mind burned from the strain. I hadn't used this much magic all at once in a dog's age. I didn't have the energy for an emergency transformation, I didn't have the energy to fix my own bleeding eye!

"Fidelis!" I called out, and carefully picked up the earth mage. I slung him across my back, between my wings, bunching up the damaged limbs as best I could to shield him, before taking off back for the scene of the fight.

The Hound of the Heavens' had just finished stabbing his blade through his opponent by the time I got there.

"Fidelis, you have any healing spells on tap?" I asked him.

He rolled his eyes. "Wait for the morning."

I growled. "Not for me you arrogant rube!" I eased Gramont down to his side. "It got his kidney before I could take it out. I've sealed him off but I've got nothing left in me."

He knelt by his side, and looked him over, sucking a breath, he gave me a shake of the head. "This is beyond me. I wasted most of my power fighting the fiend."

I bit a curse. "Right, hop, on, and keep him stable. My wings are useless, I'll have to run us back. You see the other survivor?"

He shook his head. "There was no other survivor." He informed me grimly.

I bit off another curse. "Here, hold Delfinger. I need my hands free to run full speed with passengers."

He accepted the blade, and I ignored the ache of a hundred small injuries. It was only a few miles. I could make it. I surged ahead, and broke into a full run.

Shadow of Zero LII

I ran, long and fast, with wings veiled and two passengers, one of which being in far from the best of shape, hard wasn't much of an option.

I still would have kicked the ass of any blasted horse out there, even if it didn't have a rider.

I was relying mostly on memory to aim us, we were miles out from the academy, and I'd never traveled directly from one to the other. Still I had a basic idea, and figured once I got close enough, sent might do the trick, for added insurance, I was routing shallowly towards the road that lead between the school and the town.

Gramont was still out of it, but he was making definite unhappy sounds. I glanced back. "Hit him with a remove poison!" I called over.

"What?" Fidelis asked looking over at me.

"He lost a kidney, the bleeding's fixed, but he his body's having problems adjusting, it'll over toxify! Purge his system and you'll buy him time!" I explained, as I twisted around a tree. I could out corner a horse too, like to see one of those stuffy things try and do that!

"I didn't understand half a word of that!" he yelled back in complaint.

"Just do it you stubborn old mutt!" I yelled back looking ahead of us again.

I felt rather then heard the burst of magic. At once the blond man's groans shifted to relief from pain.

We needed to get water into him. It'd be a good few hours rest minimum before I could change him into something that considered injuries like he had taken as a flesh wound. My body was on the recovery, thank you ring of regeneration, but my mind was on fire, I was drained spiritually to the barest drops, I had maybe a cantrip or two in me tops. Maybe one more weak healing spell if I was willing to knock myself out for a few hours from casting it.

And Mott was still out there.

This was the main reason I was pulling the shadows deep and tight, if someone out there spotted us, they freaking deserved to take our heads.

Not that I had any intent of going quietly if they did.

I heard a shift in breathing, and noted that Gramont had managed to slip into a deeper sleep. That was good and bad. Bad in that it signified that he was well and truly messed up, good in that his body was doing what it could to minimize damage while it worked on that.

There are few things as nerve wracking as running across a woods weakened, with a known predator on your tail. I speak from experience in this, as this exact scenario was one I'd played through about six times now. Ironically the one before last had been at the hands of the celestial riding on my back.

The last had been from a bunch of pissed off drow that had found out I was a dragon, shortly after I, ahem 'liberated' a spell book from the first boy of one of the lesser known noble houses.

Maybe I shouldn't have tried to pin it on his youngest sister…

Well at least the confusion had bought me the time to find the portal, and hopefully let the slave's in the house's primary keep escape.

I'd hate to think all the effort I took in bribing those guards, sawing those bars, and weaving all those illusions went to waste when they damned near cost me my life.

I really needed to invest in another ring of wizardry. I hated the one I had, and frankly it was looking more and more like I'd need the ammo.

What is it about being exhausted that makes me so introspective? You'd think the threat of life and limb would help ease off on that part.

I noted a brake in the tree line and slowed, the moons were high and full, as the things never seemed to cycle here. The open road would strip us of the shadow's protection

I sniffed the air. The scent of dirt, dried blood, smoke, and sweat was strong. It looks like the main group of refugees had made it through by now, good.

I twisted around and ran through the woods to the side of the road, giving a bit of distance between it and us.

"What the hell you think you're doing snake? The roads right there!" Fidelis complained.

"To bright." I explained. "It's slower to move through the brush, but a lot safer. We're almost there and I do not feel up to getting ambushed."

He opened his mouth to complain again, when I shot him a Look.

That I did it with my just barely working, newly grown eye, seemed to add to the effect.

He closed his mouth, and held in place. "The man needs healing." He stated simply.

"He'll get it. But only if we make it back in one piece, now shut up so I can make with the stealth." I spat back, and focused ahead again.

We burst to the wide clearing moments later, and came upon the sight of Tristan Academy fully lit up and ready for war. Mages and a few able men with bows stood on the walls, and once I came into view, a challenge bolt of fire lashed out by us like lighting.

I slowed to a stop, and waited.

A minute ticked by, and eventually one of the doors opened.

Professor Colbert was the one to step out.

The bald man made his way towards us, staff firmly in hand, he ended his approach about twenty yards from us, a good bit out of range of my breath attack, but still well within pouncing distance.

Not that he knew that.

"Levethix'moxt?" He called over.

I exhaled in relief and nodded. He actually got my name right. I knew I liked this guy.

"We have wounded!" Fidelis called over.

I slumped slowly down, and laid on my stomach, painting lightly. That had not been fun.

It'd likely been even worse for Gramont.

Colbert nodded and moved over, and moved to help, he kept a subtle eye on Fidelis, and I almost grinned at that. Hah! How do you like it Mr. Literally Holier Than Thou?

"You've made a friend?" He questioned giving me a look.

I snorted. "Hardly… called up an old ally when I realized what I was fighting."

The hound shot me a look at that. "Don't associate yourself with me _Boy_."

I rolled my eyes, the right one actually hurt from the action. It was worth it to get my point across. "Associate then?"

Colbert seemed to understand the situation, which bumped him up a further notch in my book.

Fidelis seemed to accept that. "Close enough."

I nodded. "He's lost his left kidney, I can fix him up but I've burn up all my willpower, I don't even have the energy to change back."

I ignored the amusement that brought someone.

Colbert, eyed me. "Do you need any help?" he took in my injuries.

I'm not sure how bad I looked at the moment, but I wagered it wasn't pretty, a few holes in me, a ton of cuts and scrapes, heavy bruising all over, burns, I was still favoring my left foreleg, and my face was a mess… and that was disregarding the fact I was showing as much blood as scale at the moment, even if only a chunk of it was mine.

I exhaled. "Him first." I stated firmly.

He gave a small nod of approval. "Of course."

He trusted me with his back. More than I can say for Fidelis.

I let out a sound of exhaustion, and then got back up to my feat.

Shadow of Zero LIII

I made it inside easily enough, fortunately for me, though I was long enough to support two grown men, I was also short enough to slide in through a human sized door with minimal difficulty. My shoulders grazed the sides, and one of my wings got stuck (which with the still healing brake hurt like an absolute Ixen'siyanc'erekess'sauriv), but I managed it easily enough.

There were people in the hallway, most well armed, and ready to defend, old man Osmond stood near the center, his own long staff helping to support his weight.

He looked frail, old, and ready to kick my ass if I so much as budged an inch out of line.

I'd seen elder magus do stuff like that before. Physical ability was a perk to a mage, but not typically what really made them dangerous. I had no idea what the heck the old man had packing, but I didn't want it pointed at me.

I gave him a tired look, and made a dismissive sound not unlike a large cat, before pawing my way down the halls to Louise's room.

I was halfway down the hall when I finally felt my alarm spell trip. It actually took me a moment to realize what it was.

The next moment I made a set of new groves in the floor as I took off full speed down towards the room.

Most people wisely chose to get the heck out of my way as I broke into full sprint, wariness forgotten. Had I been fallowed back?

Something entered the vision of my bad eye, a black and white blur, and I grunted as I made to jump over the foolish person who had gotten in my way.

I didn't get a chance as said blur jumped up onto _me_ first.

I stumbled. I'm not a big thing by dragon standards. Even for shadows I'm a bit of a runt, there's a reason I sought magic as my primary method of self defense. The sudden addition of a good ninety or so pounds to my already rather abused neck was more than enough to unbalance me.

I twisted into a roll, catching the figure even as I fell. I didn't do a very good job, but it had a good firm hold, so I ended up taking the brunt of it.

Twin spears of fire shot down my back, as my wings crashed down with our full combined weight on them, and I let out a very manly shriek of agony.

The figure cried out, and I turned my head to get a better look at it.

Siesta stared up at me as an absolute mess, her eyes were red, her cheeks puffy, and tears were streaming down her face with no sign of letting up anytime soon.

I blinked, and brought myself back into control. "Siesta! Are you a right? I felt the alarm trip!"

She sobbed and barred her face into my neck.

I sat there for a moment helpless, wings throbbing behind me, my tail slapped the ground in agitation, and then I was blindsided.

Again!

I caught an image of pink before out of the corner of my eye my master slammed into place beside the maid. She wasn't openly sobbing, but she was breathing heavy, and squeezing more than a little tight.

Ok that was a good blow to the ego. Two little girls managed to sneak up on the big nasty dragon with no shape shifter's excuse of dulled senses or anything.

I sniffed the air. No blood, both seemed find outside of being sobbing wrecks… so I did the only thing that came to mind and put my arms around them, giving as gentle a pat as I could with these tiger paws. "Sh… it's ok… tell me what's wrong? Who broke the ward?"

Siesta sobbed even harder, and began tugging at my neck frills, the thick fine hairs parting in her grasp.

"We thought you were dead." My master told me, in a quiet voice. "You just left. Even like that, you just left!" she did not sound happy.

I relaxed my tone a bit more… well this was a novel experience. They just found out I'd been lying to them all this time and, had Fidelis to fill their heads with stories of how much of a manipulative deceitful bastard I was, for several uncontested hours.

And they still actually gave a damn about me.

Huh. That was new.

I felt something well in me, it was an old thing, I didn't recognize it, but it sapped much needed energy from my lungs, so I instinctively fought it, worked to suppress it as I could.

"I knew what I was doi-" I started, and then was cut off as Louse smacked me hard at the base of my jaw.

Not that I actually felt pain from so light a blow. "Idiot! Idiot familiar! Worthless dog! How could you do that!" she raged, tears in her eyes, as she looked up at me. "You didn't even listen to your mas-s-st-er." She fought to steady her breath visibly. "H-how." She took a breath. "How dare you!" she glared up at me.

I felt something wet on my face as I looked into those burning pink eyes. Damn it, did I rip open my eye again? No, the other one was leaking too.

I blinked and shook my head slightly trying to get rid of it. "I had it under control." My throat was tight. I wish they'd give me a bit more slack. "This isn't the first time I've fought them." I tried to explain.

That seemed to make things worse. I exhaled, and gave up on trying to explain any further.

Louise smacked me again a few times, but refused to let go.

We just laid there for a minute, blocking up the hallway, until I heard a sound behind me.

A blond boy, about as old as my master, and with blue eyed tinted red with stress looked up at me. He was a mess, his clothing smudged and ruffled in places, lips dry, and hands dirtied. His features seemed familiar to me. "Excuse me, Sir." He started, and took a breath. "Would you be the Elf who helped at the town? The familiar of Vallière?" he questioned.

I adjusted my neck to bring my master into view. And nodded.

"Ah, good…. Then… you were the one who lead the hunt for the monsters" He questioned.

Ah, I recognized the features now. I closed my eyes, and exhaled. "He'll live." I said. "He took a few bad hits. Check the medical wing."

His eyes flashed in gratitude, and he was off at full pace at once, back down the hall as fast as his legs would carry him.

The interruption was all I needed to wake back up. We were blocking the hallway, and neither girl showed any signs of letting go, though both of them had their grips now weakened by fatigue.

I felt a surge of feeling again, and my throat tightened again, eyes stinging. I swept my left arm, still sore from the flail strike earlier, over both of them, and began carrying the three of us back to our room.

Siesta tightened her grip lightly, but trusted my arm, Louise I think, was ether asleep or near it, her grip slacked slightly.

I somehow found the energy to get them both onto the bed. The slight brunet did not want to let go, and I had to sacrifice a hair or two to get her off my neck. With the rest of the soreness in my form, I barely even felt the additional sting.

Completely exhausted, I curled as best as I could onto my overly expensive bedroll and finally let my eyes close.

I dreamed of wastelands and cities of old. I dreamed of caverns, of shadows both real and not, of monsters and demons.

And I dreamed of Louise. My tiny master, floating in the air beside me, watching it all alongside.

Shadow of Zero LIV

I woke a good bit of time later, both eyes opened, and I noted with some pleasure that I could see fine out of the left one again.

I tried to rise, and noted a weight on my side, Louise had apparently abandoned the bed at some point in favor of pretty much sleeping on me, she even had one of my wings pulled over her like some sort of blanket.

I lifted the improvised cover and saw her shiver, then eased it back down and let out a breath. I let my eyes lazily rake over the room for a minute, blinking as I noted a familiar sword resting in a corner. "Delfinger?" I questioned.

"Ah! You are up then!" it greeted.

I gave a wary nod. I was still a bit more banged up from the injuries suffered before I'd slipped on the ring of regeneration.

The ring could only heal injuries that occurred after it had been dawned. It was a frustrating limitation, but a logical one. The ring itself worked under the simple principle of 'remembering' what any missing or damaged tissue was, then fixing it. It couldn't mend what it didn't know about.

Of course now that I'd healed myself a bit, it was updating its records.

I let out a dragonish yawn. "How long?" I eyed the shadows.

"It's been about five hours since you got here Partner." It informed me. "The Maid went out to get something, didn't say what."

I adjusted myself so my left hind leg would start waking up, the lazy limb had fallen asleep at some point in the night it seemed. I eyed the sword, and nodded. "When did you get back?"

"Few hours ago." It somehow gave the verbal impression of a shrug. "That friend of yours tried to organize a search for the mage working with those things."

That could be bad… if he had pulled it off. These people weren't ready for something like that.

I rolled my shoulders, both sets, and adjusting my wing to keep hold of my little master, rose up. "He get any luck?" I questioned.

"Some." The sword commented. "There were a few willing, but the old man shut it down until he could get a better understanding of what was happening."

I nodded at that, and set Louise carefully into her bed again, pulling the covers over her. "**Polymorph Self**" I muttered and felt myself shift and shrink, the basic of a drow scholar settling into place, shoulder-cape and all. I tucked her in with nimbler softer hands, and then looked over at Delfinger. "They've been talking?" I questioned.

"Nod." It replied.

I grinned at that, taking the humor where I could. I'd healed a bit more in the shift, though I still had a rather nasty scar over my heart I'd need to fix up when times were more stable. I sighed. "Right, better go chip in a bit there. I'm the only one who knows both the field and the enemy to any reasonable degree. Let Siesta know where I've gone when she gets back alright? Or Louise when she wakes up" I questioned.

"Sure thing partner." It agreed.

I liked that sword. I really did. I'd have been happier if I could have just researched him for a month and not needed to draw him at all, but he was good people. Most artifacts in his league would have a head bigger then there blade.

I started out the hall, and walked down it with purpose. I'd have to swing by the medical wing as soon as I was done in the meeting, I had a full tank again, and I was willing to bet they could use another healer.

There were guards at key points, and I saw a pack of students move around with a mix of curiosity and fear in their eyes. One saw me, and whispered, the others joining in shortly.

I visually ignored it, continuing on my path, inwardly taking in what details I could.

"…Just ripped 'em apart..!" "…he turned into a dra…" "…o way, the familiar of Zer…?" to many voices to get a clear read, but I got the general idea.

I continued on, to the main office, and kept my ears strained.

"This isn't some fortress young man." A familiar voice sounded. Old man Osmond.

A equally familiar growl of a voice replied. "Young man, young man, I was gutting fiends back before your ancestor decided to op-!"

I chose that moment to open up the door and step in. "Is there a problem?"

Fidelis was sited across from Osmond, he had his normal scowl on his hound like face, and shot me a look. "You're awake." He grunted out.

"You're a grouch." I countered. "Now that the obvious is out of the way, what in the nine hells is going on?" I demanded.

I'm rather proud of my interpersonal skills; I've been honing them for more than a century you see.

He snorted. "These men refuse to go out and hunt the traitor before he can recover his forces."

"And I tell you again I don't have the authority for that." A man to Osmond's right, portly fellow, brown hair, late thirties to early forties, everything about him screamed 'bureaucrat'.

I rolled my eyes. "Authority's not an issue, ask for volunteers. Has anyone sent message further up?" I asked, hunting down a seat and taking in the players.

Gallingly I was forced to sit with my fellow native of the Realms, to our opposite sat Mr. 'no authority' Osmond, his shapely secretary, and a tall fellow who looked like he hadn't eaten a good meal in a few days.

That reminded me, I was hungry enough to eat a horse.

Well at least the better half of a deer.

I frowned and thought over things. "That might not be the best idea however." I mused.

Fidelis rolled his eyes at me, "Should have known you'd vote to running and hiding."

I shot him a glare. "No. We should hunt him. Or rather one of _us_ should. People need to stay here to defend the academy. But we need to find out how this happened. Mott's still the best source we could use." I frowned. "If he's even there."

The celestial looked at me.

"He didn't fight." I reminded. "If he was strong enough to call up something like that Marilith then he should have been able to hold his own with her, but all he did is call up some rock projectiles. He didn't even use them cleverly… I think we might have been taken in by some sort of thrall."

"A deception?" Osmond questioned.

"If it is, it was a bad one." I muttered. "None of this makes sense. The attack out of nowhere, Mott's behavior. Even the assortment of demons we fought. That was a full combat group, relatively well organized. How the hell did he keep something like that under wraps, and why use it like that? We _need_ answers."

Fidelis rolled his eyes "Then. We. Should. Go. Out. And. Get. Them." Toned in an annoyed pointed manner.

"I already agree with you, but this could all be some sort of mad trap or lour." Though if it was I didn't understand even half of it. Maybe Mott had just snapped? It could explain the why, but not the how. Damn it, I was trying to put together a puzzle with only a handful of pieces.

"Reinforcements should be here within a week's time." Osmond informed me, stroking his weird/awesome beard. "Provided the message is not intercepted."

I bit off a comment on that. It was a calculated risk, and one that could pay off too well not to try.

"Come on Boy." Fidelis said quietly. "We almost got them all last time on our lonesome. We could do it. You know we could."

Provided this wasn't all some sort of trap, yes, we likely could.

Was it worth the risk?

I felt like it was a trap of some sort. It was some dark pit in me, maybe just paranoia, but then paranoia had kept me alive until then. As the expression went, there are old dragons, and there are bold dragons, but very few old bold dragons.

I remembered the town, and clenched my fist.

"I can set up a few basic alarms to trip in case of emergency." I mused. "And I can carry two grown men or maybe three women alongside Fidelis in a teleport." Noting the look. "Instantaneous travel to locations I've known. Think of it as a very short lived portal." I explained quickly. "If we kept the group small, I think we could do it with minimal risk."

The Archon grinned.

"But!" I stated quickly. "If we do this I want authority." Fidelis was better suited to it by far, but he was a carrier solider, he was too used to spending lives for my tastes.

The grin turned into a scowl, and I gave an inward cheer.

Osmond considered it. "If the party was volunteer only…" He mused.

Holy crap, this was seeming more and more like something an adventurer would do. "It would be." I stated firmly, while feeling my stomach drop.

"Alright then, you ma-"

"Stop!" A familiar voice called out.

I looked over and saw furious pink eyes, bore into me.

"Familiar." She ground out. "What do you think you are doing?"

Shadow of Zero LV

I spared the assembled 'war counsel' a glance, then got up. "I'll be back in a few minutes." I muttered, then got up and walked out the door.

Louise shut the door with a slam and looked at me. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" she cursed.

I've never heard her curse before… this was more serious than I thought.

"We need to find Mott now, his forces are depleted, and even if he's been getting the mushroom treatment he'll likely know _something_ of value." I explained the necessity quickly

"Mushroom?" she blinked. Then shook her head. "No. You almost _died_ last time. I will now allow it." She stood firmly.

"Keep them in the dark and feed them bullshit." I explained in a lecturing tone. "That time was different. Last time there were a lot more lives on the line then my own." I grimaced, recalling the two faces that hadn't escaped the demon's little 'party'.

The metaphor didn't seem to translate that well, but she ignored it in favor of another thing. "And what if someone else gets in danger? Will you throw yourself between them?"

I growled. "If I could survive it, and save them yes. I'm not some fragile pet Master. I am Darastrix'sjach, of the Darastrix'vis, and a powerful mage, it'll take a lot more than a few scrapes to put me in the ground." I reminded her.

She didn't back down. "A few scrapes? A few scrapes! You had your eye carved out! There was a hole the size of my head in your chest!" she ranted.

I held up a hand to stop her. "And I'm fine now. Do I look injured to you?" I questioned.

She summarized me and glared down, despite the full inch I had on her. "Yes."

I winced slightly internally. Right, I was still a little roughed up. "But do I look maimed?" I questioned again.

She grabbed my hand, and pulled it and my ring of regeneration into view. "No. But only because of"

The hand flashed up and covered her mouth, I shot her a look. Ignoring her muffed fuming "Because I am magi." I stated. "I know what I'm doing master." I said in a calmer more reassuring voice. "I know what it might cost me, and what it could cost others if I do nothing."

She bit me, and I released her mouth in a flash.

Don't look at me like that. Human teeth might not be optimized as weapons but they can still freaking hurt!

I flicked my hand out and shot her a look. "Was that really necessary!" I questioned, eye twitching.

"I couldn't breathe idiot!" she yelled back.

I sighed. "Sorry." I was still tired and hungry and just wanted to get this blasted argument over with. "But I have to do this master. It's the only lead were going to get."

She shook her head. "What if you die? Who will teach me?"

"It's not going to happen." I stated firmly. "Like the old Mutt said. I'm a coward really." I smirked at that. "It's why I got command of this little hunt. First sign things are going bad I'll pull us out, and trust me, I'm very good at running and hiding at this point."

She looked down, away, anywhere but my eyes for a moment, then steeled herself and bore right into them. "Then I'm coming with you." She stated forcibly.

I blinked. "What?"

"I'm coming with you." She took the idea and ran with it. "You said it yourself. I have more power then I know what to do with!"

I needed to get this idea out of her head ASAP. "No, you're not. And that's exactly the reason you can't. You don't have any idea what you're doing!"

Rather than replying she grabbed my hand and started dragging me somewhere.

It took a second to register this. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Shut up." She muttered dragging me still, she got out to one of the windows then drew her wand.

That got me cautious, I looked outside to see if she had spotted any threat.

"**Fireball!**" She called out her tone firm, strong, and baring the echoing [b]power[/b] arcane casters tended to throw into their spells.

What fired out of her wand was not a fireball, not at least as I'd term one. It was an orb, white, glowing.

And the size of my true forms fist.

The orb screamed as it flew forth, naked plasma leaving a visible ionized wake before it impacted into the ground a good hundred yards down with the force of a cannon shell.

Then it exploded into a sixty foot wide sphere of power that was so bright I could see it through my eyelids.

Thunder boomed, a loud rumbling roar, that must have been heard damned well to the other side of the building.

Then the shockwave hit, and I had to fight to keep on my feet, as it was I was knocked back a step, with a loud ringing in my ears.

What in Bahamut's breath was THAT!

I gaped openly.

Even Louise seemed surprised, and she was shaking lightly in the signs of mild willpower withdrawal, but she stood firm, hard, eyes boring into mine.

I verbalized my confusion. "Tiamat's teats since when can you do that!"

The fact that Tiamat was a dragoness and therefore did not have such body parts should help empathies exactly how much this had caught me off guard. I seriously did not see that one coming.

"Since now." She stated still painting lightly; she ran halfassed through a breath exercise I had shown her earlier.

Now? What the hell did that mean? I know she studied a bit on her own despite my warnings, (though never with lightning, the distinctive sent of ozone was hard to cover up after all) but that… that.

By the god's I knew the girl had power, but THAT.

Fidelis was over at us before I could say anything else. "Where's the enemy? Did a Balor just go off?"

I blinked, again and looked out the window at the strike zone.

It was a glowing crater, still molten in the center were the glass, what little that had actually survived merely being liquefied that was, was pooling. The majority was outright vaporized. The entire thing gave off deep vacuum of power, like every drop of wyld magic in the area had being called up, catalyzed, and used to fuel that explosion, leaving nothing but a void.

I licked my lips, tasting dust. That was not a fireball, that was something more like a fusion ball. She hadn't simply ignited everything within a set boundary, she had backed together every drop of power she could into a miniature sun, then whipped it at a target.

It was crude, inefficient, wasteful in the extreme.

It was easily the most powerful spell I'd ever seen cast in my life.

"I'm coming." She said firmly, eyes never leaving me for a moment.

I looked at her, then back at the crater, then to Fidelis for a moment. The hound seemed to realize there was no enemy to fight, and was now looking at us in confusion.

I could hear the sounds of panic and confusion stretch out through the school, as people reacted to the huge disturbance.

"Yeah…" I stated not quite hearing my own voice. "I guess you are." I agreed quietly.

Shadow of Zero LVI

It took a second for the implications of what had just happened to hit me, and I promptly snagged both Louise and Fidelis by an arm and drug them out of view while the commotion kicked up. "Alright. We had nothing to do with that." I said firmly to both of them.

Fidelis looked confused, but still opened his mouth to complain.

I cut him off before he had a chance. "Shut it Fidelis. You gave your word to help protect Louise and Siesta." I stated firmly. "If anyone knew Louise could do _That_ she'd be assassinated by the end of the month, and you know it. The truth could cost this world one of its most powerful weapons against enemy invaders." I stated quickly, than thought over our options.

Fidelis glared at me, I'm not sure if it was the insinuation, or that I had just brought his word into it. The old Mutt would still likely screw me over for petty spite if given half a chance, and had a real thing with stuff like lies of any sort. It went against his principals, and being an archon, that wasn't an easy thing for him to be forced into.

Tuff luck to him, at least he didn't have the inherited memories of more unrepentant psychopaths then you could find in a drow settlement.

There was reason most dragons held a strong tendency in certain behaviors. Every bloodline of true dragons held a long and detailed genetic memory, dragons were born knowing how to, walk, talk, and fight the moment they left the shell, actually a they did a little beforehand, they just couldn't implement any of those plans right off the bat.

I had lived a mortal life before I was born a dragon, I had lived, learned, and died a human in a world far more advanced then the Realms, one where there the only monsters were ether men, or creatures of myth, stories, no more.

Some seventeen years as a biped hadn't really stacked up to countless millions of years of accumulated knowledge, but the inherited memories were more a distant thing, like a little mental library. I knew of the skills of my ancestors, of their lives, loves, and pains, but _I_ hadn't actually felt any of them, lived any of them.

So in the end you ended up with a dragon with a much more human sense of morality then most, and one that held a lot more ambition and desire to… well live.

It wasn't on par with true mortality. It still took me years what had taken Siesta days, the urge to just hang back and slack off was a strong one. Why rush? Time would only give me more power, not sap the strength of my limbs like a man.

I had fought that impulse hard for every day of my life.

But I was getting off topic. Wariness and hunger tended to do that to me.

I looked to the pare. "Alright… Master, you stay with me." I shot her a look, and shook my head. "What on earth were you thinking with that? I said keep it to square level tops." I sighed.

She didn't make a protest, but gave me a 'look'.

I'd decipher that one later.

I looked at Fidelis. "Alright, you're on recruiting duty." I stated firmly. "Anyone who works with us, will have to also work with you. If they freak out at the sight of you, then there not up to snuff, likewise if they aren't willing to work beside a non-human, then I doubt they'd ever obey the orders of one. Try to get at least one strong earth mage and a water mage, we might need a backup healer just in case one of us get's tied down and someone gets hurt." I didn't like the idea of both our current healers having to pull double duty as a front, much less if I was one of them. I didn't do team ops nearly as well as I did solo work, but we'd people who knew the lands, and trusted natives to act as insurance for the old men who eventually evaluated all this.

The word of a strange visitor and that of a respected countryman were as different as brass and gold after all. I had to keep the long term in mind while dealing with all of this. Gods know that it was already going to end in a bigger mess then it currently was.

"And what about us?" Louise asked.

I looked to her. "We are going to go help a new friend… and retrieve some things of mine. Have you mastered the art of sensing magic?"

She opened her mouth to protest.

I cut her off, there seemed to be a lot of that going on… "That fireball of yours kinda proves that you've been practicing on your own." I scolded/acknowledged, and sighed. "I wish you'd trust me more in such things, but what's done is done, we best make use of them." I stated.

She gave me a look that was both indignant and embarrassed, and I was reminded of my own aired secrets. "Your one to talk."

I gave her a look. "I did what I felt I had to. I will not call it right, but you would do well to remember to hold any card you could close to your chest if you were alone in an unknown land. I had no idea how any would react to the knowledge of my existence… and if the fate of the Rhyme dragons of this land are any indication, I did so wisely."

She blinked at that. "What?"

"Rhyme dragons." I stated. "The only true dragons native to this land? Wiped out centuries ago?" I asked.

Evidently My Master was not a strong student of history. I'd have to work on that later.

I rolled my eyes. "There were other dragons like me here once, they were all killed." I stated. "When I discovered this, I decided that the belief that I was an elf was a wise one to maintain." I explained.

She fallowed this time, and nodded slowly. "But what could have done that?" she asked, recalling the images I had painted.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It wasn't in any of the texts I read… demons maybe. There is still so much unknown." I shook myself of such thoughts. "Come, we don't have any more time to waste."

Fidelis had been waiting the entire time, an odd pensive look to his face. He gave a snort. "I'll be off then." He stated, turning down the hallways. "Anything else boy?" he questioned in an oddly… none hostile tone.

Well this was a surprise. "Go for quality or nothing, no deadweight." I stated.

He snorted at that, and rolled his eyes, before starting down his path.

I grit my teeth, if the Old Mutt didn't want my opinion then why ask it?

I turned to lead Louise to the hospital ward.

And was promptly tackled _**Again**_.

I looked down at Siesta. Delfinger strapped to her back, and sighed. "This is going to be a regular thing with you isn't it?"

Louise let out a giggle.

Shadow of Zero LVII

"Hey Partner!" Delfinger sung in its normal bright and cheery tone… something that shouldn't fit so well on a hollow metallic voice, but somehow did. "I gave them the message!" it informed me happily.

"Ah." I said sucking air back in. "I see that Delfinger. Good work." I let out a cough, and tried to get up.

Siesta wasn't having any of it.

I really needed to figure out Irukuku's shapeshifting trick soon, walking around with the strength of a five foot and small change, complete twig, of an elf, was just really just not working out.

I heard giggling behind me. I twitched.

"Siesta." I started, and shook her shoulders lightly.

She gripped tighter, and I made a manly squeaking sound.

Why couldn't I have come through in the form of a half orc? Or an illithid? No one hugs mild flayer until the darkness encroached on their vision!

"Siesta, I think you might want to let him go now." My master's voice was so distant now, ooooh look at all the pretty dots…

The pressure lightened and air, sweet sweet air sucked into my lungs.

"Mr. Moxt." She said looking up at me eyes hopeful.

"I'm fine Siesta." I told her. "Or I will be once I get something to eat. I have some business in the medical ward, Delfinger said something about you going to get food?" I questioned hopefully.

She blinked a few times, face coloring. "Ah…"

"She left it in the room." The sentient sword explained. "Once she saw you were gone she panicked completely and muff uFf oUf!" He was cut off before he could finish.

Siesta was bright red "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she whispered sharply at the blade hand wrapped firmly around the guard that served as its mouth.

I smirked at her. "It's fine. We can pick it up on our way. It'll take Fidelis a while to figure out who to look even before he can start gathering up people." The Old Mutt was an officer and a solider first and foremost, he'd get the lay of the land as quick as he could, likely faster than I could, and I trusted him to know the basics of this place soon if he hadn't gotten it out of someone else already.

That didn't however change the fact he'd only been in this realm for a matter of hours, even asking any who'd answer it'd take a good while to find who he was looking for. More to narrow down the volunteers to the best and brightest.

I could only carry to many people in one jump, and to keep our maneuverability, we'd need to be limited to only that many. I was [i]not[/i] leaving good men and women to their deaths if I had the option.

Besides, I could only cast teleport a handful of times in a day, and I wasn't going to go spending spells like candy if I had the chance not to.

"Who are we seeing." Louise asked. "You said a new friend." She reminded.

"A brave man." I muttered. "Went with me after I helped clear the town to track down the demons who raided the place. Nearly got himself killed holding off a glabrezu and a bleeding _Marilith_ of all things because I could only pull out so many in one go." I grimaced, openly for once, that wound was still raw.

She seemed a bit confused by the name, but read enough from my mood to determine this was a rather big deal.

I turned to her and gave my best aloof smirk. "So I'm going to go turn him into an invertebrate for a minute or two." I explained.

She nodded, then apparently the latter part of what I said hit. "What!"

I kept that smirk firmly in place as we continued the trip, ignoring her continuingly aggravated demands for answers.

Siesta I think got it, fore she never spoke a word, but had this tight, hidden little smile on her face and in her eyes. A naked curiosity burned within her, I could almost feel it.

Louise gave up halfway to the medical ward, and I could tell she was more than a little peeved at me, but I would worry over that later… right now what had me interested was that she had apparently managed to recover entirely from her willpower withdrawal…

Interesting.

I was more and more starting to think my little master held more in kind with a psion then a true arcaneist. Still I knew nothing of training someone in those arts, outside of an academic summation of their abilities, and she was most definitely using magic, and I only knew how to teach the arcane arts of my own people. Maybe she'd manage to take hold of my training and become a truly powerful sorceress, or maybe my little lessons would help her uncover and develop her own art.

I suspected it was more likely to end somewhere between, but then again I was somewhat bias in that.

We entered the wing, and at once a strong dry sterile smell came across me, not the sickly tinge of disinfectant, if anything I'd put the odor more to a faint tinge of char… ah, fire and wind magics cycled to burn out any infection before the air was cooled back down and released back into the ward, clever.

Yes the magics of this world were rather limited in range… but more and more I saw how there users wielded them in increasingly inventive ways. I might have to go back over my summery of the local abilities again soon. There might be more worth learning here then I had originally expected. At the very least I had to determine their method of enchantment. They threw out mystically augmented items like they were going out of style, and Delfinger stood proud testament that it could at least match my own school in power and resilience.

I looked at the men and women strewn across the beds… there were enough for all, an all too rare mercy, but the healers were over taxed, I could see two resting with the infamous shivers of overtaxing their abilities.

Some were missing fingers, or limbs, some shivered with debilitating but not life threatening sickness, and others were simply scared, tired, and worn. With my magic I could help any of these people, mend them to a state an good as they had ever been, with the right resources I could even make them better…

But not all of them. Not now, not with time and energy so limited by need. Even with the little ring on my right hand…

I sighed, then drew in air and let my keen senses lead me to my target.

It was time to pay off at least one of my debts.

Shadow of Zero LVIII

I spotted two sets of blond hair, one old and mixed library with gray, the other young and buried deep into a child sized mass of brown fur.

Little black eyes opened and looked up to me with unnatural intelligence. "Mygu?"

I gave it an apologetic look, and it settled back down with a sigh.

It was a very large mole… or a very small dire mole. And apparently the younger mage's familiar. I recognized the boy, he was the relative of the elder man who rested there, and like his companion he was stirring. "hummmm um?" he looked up at me."Again?" he questioned in a wary voice.

The look on his face, on all their faces…

"Guiche?" My little master asked. "Your new friend is Guiche?"

I shook my head. "No, the elder." I started.

The boy stirred,

I shook off the thoughts without outer sign. "Could you give me some space? I'd like to help Gramont if I can."

He blinked a few times and looked up at me.

"Vallière's familiar?" he asked blinking the sleep from his eyes, as awareness and with them recondition slowly flowed into his eyes.

"My name is Levethix'moxt." I stated in as warm a tone as I could. "Could you give me some space?" I asked again.

He digested that for a moment. "Help?" he asked confused.

Louise looked at pointedly.

I sighed. "As you might have noticed, I know a few tricks about transforming things." I stated. "A human can't regrow fingers, or heal sever organ trauma, but there are a lot of things out there that can." I stated.

He blinked. "You want to turn my uncle… into some creature?" he questioned.

Well at least I got the relation nailed down now. I nodded gingerly. "Starfish in particular, rather disorienting, but there is limited sensory confusion outside of the extra eyes, good thorough regenerative abilities, they can survive extreme organ trauma and toxicity well, and most importantly… It's very hard to hurt yourself by accident if you panic. It's my go to curative form when I need to heal someone of longer term problems… but it's rather draining on myself." It took at least two high level spells and a mid ranker, or one strong, one mid and a lot of weak ones to do it in any realistic speed…

People did not tend to enjoy entertaining the thought of just waiting around as a starfish for days while they regrow a liver or some missing toes after all.

'Guiche' shuttered at the thought. "To turn into such a lowly creature…" he stated.

"It's not the cleanest of ways to recover, that's true." I admitted with a slight grimace. "But it does work. I've been using it for longer then you have been alive. Outside of the occasional odd dream and discovering what it's like to view the world from a new set of eyes, there are no side effects."

"Still." He questioned. "Is there no-"

"How long would this take?" a new voice broke out.

Jean Gramont was awake… he looked like a wreck, his face pale and tinged with green, and I didn't even want to think exactly how much pain he had to be in, losing a kidney was nasty not just because of the massive blood loss that would normally kill you in seconds.

If you were un/fortunate enough to survive the injury, you got to feel the wonderful life of your body poisoning itself in a massive and horrifyingly painful way.

Every action you do, even breathing builds up decay within your body, little waste products, poisons, toxins, and other assorted garbage. You could sweat some of it out, but most of it was cleaned up by two little fist shaped filter/organs known as kidneys.

Now you could live with only one of them. A human has some redundancy in how there body's laid out, but you have two for a reason. With only one kidney, you lost a lot of your body's ability to handy any sort of chemical build up, so drinking was out, you had to watch what you ate, if you were a woman you couldn't risk getting pregnant because one kidney alone wouldn't be enough to filter both you and the child's wastes, and among all that, you had to be very careful how much you taxed your body, because working out also built up nasty chemicals that would send you to the floor faster than you'd think.

Even as an invalid, you could expect a good decade or two to be shaved off your life expectancy.

Like I said, not good.

"**Remove Poison**" I casted holding out a hand and purging him of the slight build up that had developed over the night. It was reflex mostly, a waste of magic in such times, but I couldn't leave him in such a state.

At once he regained some color, and took a breath. Guiche looked between aggravated at me that I had cast a spell on his relative without permission and angry at himself for not acting fast enough to stop me. "How dare you!"

"Nephew!" Gramont barked in a disciplined voice, then sighed in relief and looked at me. "The others?"

I grimaced. "Near as I can tell, the marilith got them while the glabrezu went for you. There was nothing you could have done, with that teleport trick they have, and there shear power…" I sighed "I was worried you wouldn't be alive when we made it back."

"But you did come back." He stated, though he looked disheartened by the news. I could guess his strategy, draw their attention and get the other two to run… unfortunately that tactic relied on your enemy fighting to win, not just to cause the maximum amount of pain they could.

There was a moment of silence among all five of us, and I took a bite out of the sandwich Siesta had brought us earlier. It was long cold now, but I had downed one the moment we retrieved them gratefully. This second I had taken with me and enjoyed as much as you could with survival food. (which I might add is tremendously satisfying, and sweat in ways beyond taste…)

I broke back to the original topic "It'll take about two minutes; it's not long work, just draining." I explained, and fished into my haversack for a small clear glass container. "You'll be in here while I heal you up, you won't have the control developed to hold your breath in that body." I explained.

He considered it, and seemed disquieted. "Could you not think of anything less… venerable?"

I shook my head. "Not the way your thinking, most creatures with potent natural regeneration are ether very simple things like a starfish, or very strong and tough things like trolls… this is your first time shapeshifting, it's a far better idea to be rendered harmless, rather then accidently hurt yourself or others do to reflexes you aren't used to."

He considered that, and seemed to see the wisdom in it, giving me the nod. "Very well. So far my trust in you has proven well spent. I'm willing to gamble on you once more."

Guiche it seemed did not… however he didn't seem to be willing to challenge me on it ether. I couldn't identify the reason, maybe he was just willing to accept his uncle's judgment on such?

"Alright. This will feel… weird." There really was no other way to explain it.

"**Polymorph Other**"

Shadow of Zero LIX

I dumped a half dozen light cures into him, then dispelled the shift, revealing a healthy (though soggier) Jean Gramont. His color was back, as was his left hand, every finger and thumb accounted for.

He'd have to rebuild a lot of calluses that had become warn away by the much more complete healing a starfish was capable of, but with revitalized muscle and bones, it wouldn't take him all that long.

It did however mean that he wouldn't be able to join us on the second round of the hunt. Jean might have been a skilled fighter, but his body had just become stripped of valuable conditioning, being set into a physically 'perfect' state, with all damage reset, for both good and ill.

At least he hadn't lost muscle mass or tone, that would have taken months to rebuild.

As it was, some intense sparing and he'd likely be in good enough shape to fight in a week, a fact he had taken to with unexpected enthusiasm for a man who had nearly met his end, less than a full day ago.

I wish I could have brought him with me on this. You just couldn't find that level of courage or strength just anywhere. In such capable hands it would have being a highly valuable asset.

As it was I was now facing the brunt of such courage in much less capable hands, and was finding it a considerable annoyance.

"Please!" The blond boy begged as we walked down the halls looking for Fidelis. "I can be of use! I apologies for ever doubting you!"

Somehow in the post healing event Guiche had gotten drawn into the mess, and somehow got the idea that he should 'repay the debt of honor owed by the Gramont line' to me.

Naturally I wasn't having any of it, the kid was flashy, sloppy, boisterous, and glory hungry. If I took him with me he'd be dead within minutes. As it was, I couldn't afford the space to bring him along.

"Now where is that Old mutt?" I muttered aloud. "We've looked through the faculty, the survivors, who the hell is he asking to join up with us? Students?" I questioned.

"You know that's actually not that bad an idea." Louise mused. "A lot of the students are powerful in their own right; I think Zerbst was bragging earlier about casting a triangle spell…"

The younger Gramont perked up at that, ready to throw his pitch again at me.

"No, no more kids." I stated. "It's bad enough you're coming along master. If I didn't know what you were capable of…" I trailed off, only to be cut off by an impetuous voice.

"You're taking Zero!" Guiche screamed in equal parts shock, disbelief, and utter despair.

I shook my head. "You're just lucky you're so small. I can likely squeeze you into whoever Fidelis manages to scrounge up."

"Fit?" Siesta asked, she had kept mostly quite though this, asking questions here and there about what I was doing, doing her best to understand and learn, something I heartedly approved for her to do.

"Teleportation effects general limit themselves to mass carried; I can carry myself and a bit over five hundred and fifty pounds of other things. That includes clothing, weapons, other gear, and any passengers alongside their own stuff." I explained, looking at Louise as a feeling of dread welled in me. Fidelis wouldn't, would he? Hound Archons defended the innocent, and hunted the guilty. It was hardwired into their nature on the same level of a survival instinct in mortal men.

He wouldn't really want to involve students would he?

Louise scowled at that comment. "I'm not small…" she muttered.

"It's an asset." I stated simply. "If you're going to go around swinging swords then being big is fine, but for us spell slingers, good things come in small packages. A small person can accelerate faster in a sprint, they can dodge easier, hide easier, take falls better, and are in general harder to hit in a fight. You'll be grateful for it before too long."

I'm not sure if she believed what I said, but regardless she let the matter drop.

"Please good sir! I will make myself worth the effort!" Guiche tried again.

I was getting sick of this.

I turned to the blond and looked him in the eye. "You want to help?" I asked him tone serious.

"Yes!" he stated composing himself and looking at me with a burning passion. I could see the resemblance a bit better now… the kid might have potential, but not enough to bring into a field like this.

"Then help me find Fidelis. He's a dog man, about this high." I held my hand a depressing distance over my own head. "And built like a brick wall. He might be with a group of others, they'll-"

"Lizard!" A gruff voice called out. "There you are, can't you stay in one place? I've been looking all over this maze for you _boy_."

I turned and saw Fidelis, and felt a surge of relief, good, we could get this done then.

That relief vanished the moment I noticed his companions.

"Tabitha." I grit my teeth. "What do you think you're doing?"

The short bleunette stood to the left and slightly behind that damned mutt, and flanking his other side was Kirche. Neither of their familiars was in sight, a fact I was grateful for.

"Help." She stated eyes looking into a book she had brought with her.

"And where she goes' I go." Kirche declared proudly, as only a true friend could while volunteering alongside them for something as utterly stupid as this.

I grit my teeth and growled in a decidedly dragonish way, I closed my eyes, and rained in my anger. "Master, Fidelis, Kirche, a moment please." I opened my eyes and did my best to bore a hole right into Tabitha's head with them, if only to see what the hell she was thinking.

Kirche stepped between us defensively. "Whatever you have to say to her, you can say to me." She stated firmly.

"Alright fine." I edited my speech even as I wrote it in my head. "What in the world do you think you're doing?" I asked in an all too calm voice. "Have you even considered the implications of what might happen if you were killed in this? What might happen to those who need you?"

She looked up from the book and I saw a spark of anger in her eyes. "Hypocrite."

Louise gave a small sound of agreement.

I rolled my eyes. "It's precisely the reason that I'm going that you cannot." I stated to her a 'look' of my own.

She didn't back down.

"What crawled up your ass snake?" Fidelis spat. "Were pulling out the moment things look deep anyway." He commented in a bitter tone.

I whirled on the celestial and brought forth every drop of surprised anger down on him. "And you… What in the nine hells do you think you're doing! Bahamut's Breath, they're just kids!"

He gave me a pointed look, and coughed into his hand.

I narrowed my eyes. "That's different and you know it. They are mortal kids, Hound of Heaven. Innocents, and you would have me bring them into a battlefield?"

He shot me a hard look. "Don't play the moral high ground with _Me_ boy. They're willing, they have power, and there blooded." He shot a look at Louise. "Were bringing her along already, aren't we?" he gave a all too human smirk, "Besides, you said we needed a healer who could look after themselves didn't you? That little missy happen to be a 'water mage' alongside a 'wind mage'."

I raged internally, he had a point, but it wasn't good enough.

"Familiar." Louise's voice cut through my anger like a knife. Blasted geas was still doing it's thing, it seemed.

I looked to her, and she did to me.

There was a pause as an unspoken argument raged between us.

I sighed. "I don't like this." I said aloud what I had being verbalizing in every other way but directly up till now.

"No choice." Tabitha stated.

"That man, Gramont, was the only triangle mage to survive the fight in the village." Fidelis informed me. "I figured anything less would be a waste of time."

I thought it over, it was bitter, very bitter, and smart, I freaking hate demons.

Unclenching my hand I sighed again. "Fine, but first we hit up the faculty and see if we can get anyone else. Who knows, maybe some square mage retired to work here." Unlikely but it was worth a shot. If nothing else maybe I could grab one of the healers from the medical ward as an emergency back up to me and Tabitha.

Today was just looking better and better.

Shadow of Zero XL

The group of us started up to the headmaster's office, and found the old man digging into a rather old book. It was well maintained, but like Delfinger it seemed to exclude a potent aura of power and age… a grimore?

"Sir." I said politely and gave a bow of my head. I had retrieved my shadow cloak and ring of bone from the medical wing after healing Gramont, but kept the hood back to keep my face revealed.

He looked up at us, with weary eyes. "Ah." He stated. "You are ready to go then?"

"Almost." I stated. "There is room for one more. I was hoping to fill it with someone from the facility." I stated, looking at my 'troops' with an open grimace. "Someone with a lot of power backing them, as much as possible." It was ham-handed politics at its best, but there really wasn't much time for subtle work.

He paused thinking over things. "I am rather busy as of late, you might consider asking ether my secretary or Professor Colbert to assist you in finding such a person." He stated in that.

I gave nod and turned to leave.

"Professor Colbert?" Kirche questioned, as we started out.

I turned to look at her. "Is that odd?"

She nodded obviously "Professor Colbert isn't very good with paperwork. He tutored me a few weeks ago when I made triangle level. He's very skilled, but his office is always a mess." She explained.

I blinked at that, than smirked. "Ah…" old men and their need for subtle hints. "You know where his office is then?" I questioned intently.

She gave me a nod. "Yes… I could lead you there if you like." She stated throwing a bit of a sensuous air to it.

For some reason Siesta seemed uncommonly hostile to her after that. Weird.

I didn't think I'd ever really understand that girl. At least she wasn't demanding to go with me to go hunt down and pick a fight with bleeding [i]demons[/i] of all things. There had to be something in the water here.

I knocked on the door and waited… I could sense the man inside the room, blindsense was a handy thing, and while diminished in elf form, I could still make some use of it.

He was bumbling about, but made his way to the door quickly enough, opening it to see our rather wide mix of faces.

"Greetings Professor." I said giving again a slight bow of the head, something the dragon in my screamed out at. "May we come in?" I asked as politely as possible.

Fidelis gave me a look, Louise did likewise, though in a different fashion, I ignored both.

"Ah! Of course, of course." He made space, and let us get comfortable.

The place was a mess, half made prototypes of all sorts, a personal library eclipsing the headmaster's own, and slight stains of oil, grease, and wax everywhere. It reminded me of a tinkerer's workshop.

"I'll cut to the chase." I stated. "Were going to hunt down Mott, he was the one commanding the demons that did all this. I hit his manner earlier and with Fidelis and the good sir Gramont's assistance wiped out most of his forces, but if left alone, he'll just call up more."

He blinked at that. "Call up?"

I looked to Fidelis. "You didn't explain?" I questioned.

He snorted. "To busy with other crap, you know how it is." He waved off.

I grunted, "The demons are summoned hirelings, think of them as temporary familiars, just very dangerous ones that demand tribute." I explained. "Tribute that is mostly-"

"People." He cut me off, face grim.

"In one shape or another." I finished with a nod. "They think this land is venerable, an easy source of souls and blood, and as much as I hate to say it, they're right." I explained with a grimace."So we need to cut them off now."

"And you want my help." He exhaled slowly in a bitterly accepting tone.

I shook my head. "I don't want it, but I might need it. Demons are very tough, and strong as hell." Literally, if the blood war was any indication. "You need a certain level of raw power to even make them feel a hit, anything below that threshold might as well be spitting into the wind." I shook my head. "I need triangle mages, anything less is just someone who will draw their attention."

Guiche jerked back at that, maybe I should have simply told him that from the start… no I didn't have the time to waste then, better to just brief them all here. He could be used to explain the situation to others.

"You can't wear them down." I explained. "No fire not hot enough to melt steel will burn them, no cold bitter enough to shatter it will chill them, they can shrug off the blows that will crack boulders, and deal back such strikes in turn. They do not eat, breath, or tire, and the stronger ones can regenerate actively, healing wounds mid combat. All can instantly transport themselves to any place they've ever viewed, any time they wish. Vital organs as we understand them, are not vital to them, I've ripped the heart out of one, and it still fought with no difficulty, they won't bleed out from a slit throat, and gutting them only hinders them if they trip on it. Braining them doesn't work ether, though decapitation does for some reason. It might be tied up in metaphor, the things are more spirit then flesh." I waved off. "And we might be fighting dozens of these things." I stated bitterly. "I'm… relatively strong. I have abilities that can hurt them anyway. Fidelis is of kind born and bred to face such things, but I would like to bolster our odds if I can."

The Louise had paled at all this, and Guiche looked near ready to faint. Kirche was unsettled and Siesta was shivering as her eyes darted, thinking.

Tabitha was as unreadable as ever. Something I actually took a bizarre comfort in.

Colbert looked… different, more serious, his posture had shifted. "And you intend to take my students out to fight these things?" he questioned.

I shrugged. "Not my idea. I don't like it, but I need triangle mage firepower to get through that resistance, the only triangle mage I know is in traction. I can only carry so much weight with me when I teleport, and I'm pulling them out the moment things get dicey." I surmised. "I'd _like_ to bring a couple fully stocked up square mages, or even highly skilled knights, but we need all the help we can grab, and cannot afford to be picky when things are this grave."

He gave me a hard look, and I held it. Colbert had always seemed a kind man to me, reasonable, personable, and in general a fine example of what a human being could be.

This Colbert was a hard man, strong, and willing to do whatever was necessary to fulfill his goals, in this case, that was the protection of the children I was about to lead into battle. He was weighing whether or not to help me, or stop me here.

I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to stop Him if he chose the latter. There was intensity to those eyes, a power to them, I had seen only a few times.

None of them had been in a mirror.

"I'll need a few minutes to prepare." He informed me.

I exhaled a sigh of relief. "You have them. I need time to equip these few as best I can anyway."

He gave me a tight nod and was out the door before we where.

I got up and looked back over my 'troops.' Thinking over my inventory of items and what would be useful for who. We'd need every edge we could get after all.

We were about to head off to war.


End file.
